It's winter again and some of us have turned our backs on the great outdoors and begun to snuggle up with our knitting. The click clack of my needles helps me shut out the daily struggles, the guillotine's thud.
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| Image by Kaley Tate |
Sitting granny-like in my favorite chair, secretly indulging myself with needles and yarn, I have come across an article that tells me that not only am I one of the coolest of people but also that my favorite winter past time causes dopamine release and can cure a myriad of ills including depression and PTSD.
The article
in the Daily Mail sparked my interest enough to have me go looking for some supporting evidence for its claims.
It seems that knitting's benefits are about more than a sense of achievement in creative endeavour. Rhythmic repetitive body movements, stimulation from colour and texture, repetitive eye movement and focused mindful activity are all some of the suggested mechanisms for knitting's psychological benefits.
We also know that people who take up a craft like knitting, as well as those who read and play games, are less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment as they age. Increasing the complexity of the task improves the results further. Knitting is good for you, cable and fair isle are better still!
Is anyone willing to admit to knitting - now you know what a good thing it is? (Or have you known it all along?)
