Stress, emotional and mental fatigue, monotony… There are simple and pleasant ways to end these discomforts. Experts have already proven that crocheting is excellent therapy. It is also a way to improve concentration and thus make mental activities stronger, keeping us away from meles like depression and Alzheimer’s disease. Learn more about the beneficial effects of crochet on our body and mind.

How crochet can help cure and prevent diseases

• Improves concentration, motor coordination and reasoning, which helps prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
• Keeping your mind active can also prevent the development of depression and reduce anxiety.
• Work activities modify brain chemistry, reducing the amount of hormones that cause stress, increasing levels of dopamine and serotonin, substances responsible for feelings of pleasure and well-being.
• Repetitive movements decrease blood pressure, generate relaxation and stimulate hand agility.

In hospitals, it is “medicine”

Several hospitals already use the crochet activity in order to reduce the anxiety and tension of patients and family members, providing a faster recovery. Some patients at Saddleback Memorial Hospital in Laguna Hills, CA, crochet an activity that is of great help during their stay in the intensive care unit. Research from the Harvard Medical School Mind-Body Institute has indicated that knitting helps lower blood pressure and heart rate, which creates a state of relaxation similar to meditative activities like yoga. Anxiety reduction is very important for mothers-to-be in the process of giving birth, said Dr. David Lagrew, director of Saddleback Women’s Hospital and an expert on high-risk pregnancies.

The benefits are for everyone

Studies carried out in several institutions around the world have shown that the practice of knitting and crochet improves the process of self-esteem in the elderly, preventing cardiovascular diseases and Alszeimer’s disease. It is a great social, immunological and psychological recovery tool for the elderly.
It enhances the release of emotions, communication, and the strengthening of self-esteem, making seniors feel more useful and creative. Crochet activities also work the muscles and stimulate touch and vision.

Crafts free the mind

Schools joined in too, including crochet in their arts curriculum. Crochet stimulates, entertains and increases the psychomotor development of children. According to psychopedagogues, the intention is to divert the children’s attention to a technique that escapes the countless mental tasks they are subjected to daily. Thus, the little ones discover new sources of pleasure, improving their development: It is a process of liberation. Children spend hours in front of the TV playing video games. Craft activities help in relaxation and in the search for new forms of fun.

Help against Stress

Knitting and crochet, in addition to being useful for creating personalized clothing, has a benefit that, as we have seen, helps people who suffer from depression and stress. Once thought of as just a hobby to occupy their spare time, mainly used by elderly people, nowadays people of all ages practice this handicraft activity.

The British Olympic athlete Tom Daley of the diving modality at the Tokyo Olympics, declared in a video that went viral on social networks, when he said that one of his main hobbies is knitting and crochet. The British athlete was seen knitting in the stands at the Tokyo Aquatics Center during the women’s final. The interesting thing is that the products created by him are sold and all proceeds from sales are entirely donated to research to fight brain cancer.
Daley created a “Made With Love By Tom Daley” profile on social media during the pandemic, where he shares his knitting creations.

The athlete, now 27 years old, said that his love of knitting, crocheting and sewing was key to maintaining his emotional health during his training until the Olympics. Crafts proved to be an activity that serves as a treatment for anxiety for people of all ages, being low cost and simple to use. Being an activity that requires focus and attention, it helps to expand the brain’s capacity and release creativity, which activates the creation of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which serve to transmit data between neurons, stimulating the sides. left and right brain.