If your mind is starting to entertain all the possible ways of keeping occupied over the coming months, here’s one idea you might not have thought of...
KNITTING.
Though considered a somewhat ‘grandmotherly’ pastime, knitting has been gaining popularity with younger generations for some time, driven partly by the desire for something tangible and creative to counterbalance our overly digitalised lives.
Knitting, for many, is that something, and there is a large body of research showing that it isn’t just a useful antidote to screen time. It has well documented health benefits too, with a particular reputation for helping many people (old and young) through a myriad of health crises (according to Knit to Heal).
Specifically, it is the rhythmic, repetitive motion of knitting that helps to induce the relaxation response, which in turn has been shown to help lower the heart rate by an average of 11 beats per minute. In addition, regular knitting can reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, boost the reward centres of the brain to help lower depression, and promote the development of neural pathways which are essential for cognitive health. These are all benefits which, at this time, are even more important, and worth taking advantage of, than ever.
By helping redirect our focus, knitting can reduce awareness of circumstantial problems and worries, and replace the stress and anxiety of these with the satisfaction of creation.
As a low cost, easily accessible activity that can be picked up and put down as and when the mood takes you, knitting clearly has broad spectrum appeal. This is on top of the fact that all the effort might actually gift you with something unique to wear once the challenge is complete.
If you’re tempted, off the back of this, to pick up the knitting needles and try your hand at some ‘therapeutic knitting,’ why not check out the range of kits at We Are Knitters for starters?
This Acacana Poncho (pictured) is linked on the instashop for anyone who is interested in trying their hand at creating their own.