There are so many activities you can do that help you wind down at night. Whether you enjoy reading to shut off your brain or a more hands-on activity, it's important to have something you can do outside of work to create a better work-life balance. Psychologists say that engaging in activities like knitting and crocheting can be the perfect hobby for this and provide an array of psychological benefits.
Whether you're experiencing grief or want to create a healthier relationship with your partner through gift-giving, knitting or crocheting can help. Even if you're a beginner to either of these practices, licensed psychologist Dr. Brandy Smith, PhD, says that each of these can create a safe, peaceful environment, especially when you set aside even 20 or 30 minutes a day to do it.
That's not all, either. If you're curious about whether knitting can help with trauma, ADHD or focusing overall, keep scrolling. Dr. Smith shares eight incredible psychological benefits that knitting and crocheting can provide below.
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While activities like crocheting and knitting can be a great way to boost your mood, Dr. Smith, says that it's not really these things alone that can help heal trauma.
"Can knitting be beneficial and help one with trauma? Yes, but I would not go so far as to say it is going to 'heal' trauma on its own," she tells Parade.
What it can do, however, is create a peaceful environment, which is beneficial for someone coping with any kind of trauma.
"Some people report that when they knit, it creates a calm within their nervous system, and since trauma can be connected to the nervous system, knitting can connect on that level for some people," she further explains.
She also says that knitting and crocheting are reported by some to be the ultimate relaxation tool and a good activity for stress relief.
"Both can help someone who is experiencing trauma (and in general)," she shares. "It can be meditative for some people because of the repetition, which is another potential benefit in general and for people navigating trauma."
Is Crocheting Good for Mental Health?
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Dr. Smith says that any activity you enjoy and find rewarding can be positive for your mental health. If you enjoy crocheting or knitting, then it can definitely be beneficial to your overall well-being. As she mentioned previously, it can be a great stress-reducer due to the repetition and calming environment it creates, but there's also another common issue it can help.
She also reports crocheting and knitting as helpful for anxiety because it gives you something to focus your energy on. "That can help with aspects of both depression and anxiety," she adds.
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While there hasn't been much scientific research done on whether knitting and crocheting are good for ADHD directly, there are studies that report it can result in an increase of the alerting and orienting networks of the brain, even after a brief, single session. The study also explores the possibility that these types of activities, along with meditation, can pave the way for neurorehabilitation (specialized programs designed to improve function and reduce symptoms experienced by individuals with nervous system disorders or injuries).
"Some people report those activities as helping with focus because it is repetitive and something they can become engaged with, which can be beneficial to someone with ADHD," adds Dr. Smith, thanks to her expertise as a licensed psychologist.
8 Psychological Benefits of Knitting and Crocheting, According to a Psychologist
Finding activities to do outside of work is important for your mental health. Knitting or crocheting provides a low-lift way to keep yourself busy.
"It's an activity that a person can look forward to doing," Dr. Smith says. "While we need rest, we also need to be active and do things, and this is a form of activity that can be wide-reaching."
2. It's beneficial for people who are goal-oriented
If you're someone who likes to have an end result in mind, Dr. Smith says this is the perfect activity for you.
"For people who are motivated by doing something they view as 'productive,' this can fill that," she explains. "Some people struggle to do something if there is not an end product that they view as 'meaningful,' enough. Since something is produced from knitting and crocheting, this individual can more easily be open to this as an option."
As Dr. Smith mentioned above, the repetitive nature of knitting and crocheting can create a sense of calm—especially if you've had a long or stressful day.
"Repetition can be soothing to the point of [it being] meditative," she shares. "This is a frequently mentioned benefit and has been associated with tapping into aspects of our body's nervous system and aiding relaxation."
4. It provides you with something to focus on
Studies show that focusing your energy and attention on a specific activity like knitting or crocheting can really help to increase alerting and orienting networks in the brain. This can be beneficial to everyone—especially if you find yourself losing focus throughout your day or being less productive than you'd like to be.
"This is also different than the point above about creating an 'end product,'" says Dr. Smith. "This relates to keeping one's focus on the present of what one is doing because there is a pattern or some sort of approach the person needs to attend to in order to make progress on their project."
While knitting or crocheting definitely requires you to stay focused in the moment, Dr. Smith says that, surprisingly, it can help you focus elsewhere, too.
"Another way some people report these activities as helping with focus is that it gives them something to do physically while still being able to listen and engage with someone (this may be more likely to come after someone is more familiar with the activity)," she explains. "Some people report that having something to do physically with their hands allows their mind to focus better on what they are 'supposed' to be paying attention to outside of the knitting or crochet project they are working on."
As an example, she says that someone may bring their knitting or crocheting project to meetings or a social gathering.
"While some people may view someone working on a project as 'not paying attention' to what else is happening, that is just not the case for some people's brains," she continues. "In fact, for their brains, it is the opposite because it allows them to hone in better."
6. It can serve as an act of love or a gift-giving opportunity
It's a great motivator to work on a gift for someone else. Dr. Smith says this can be a huge benefit of learning to knit or crochet.
"We are social beings, and doing something for someone else gives us a boost," she says. "Making a knitted or crocheted item can serve as an act of love or care. It can also be a gift, which adds to the specialness and taps into those 'feel good' feelings within the person creating the item."
Not only are crocheting and knitting great for focus, but they can also be a great creative outlet outside of your regular everyday activities.
"Research shows expressing creativity in some way is beneficial to all of us, so this can be one more outlet to consider for creativity," Dr. Smith adds.
8. It provides sensory engagement
Because knitting and crocheting are such hands-on activities, Dr. Smith says it provides yet another benefit for your brain.
"Knitting and crocheting are a sensory experience across the board, but depending on the materials and tools used, it can be a fulfilling sensory experience on a whole other level for some people."
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Sources:
Dr. Brandy Smith, PhD, is a licensed psychologist with Thriveworks in Birmingham, AL.“Crochet … a little hook to improve attention?” medRxivHence then, the article about 8 psychological benefits of knitting and crocheting according to a psychologist was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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