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Now onto today’s post!
As knitters, crocheters and needlecrafters, we already know that engaging in our favorite downtime hobbies helps in reducing stress, heal from illness and diminish anxiety. For me, I picked up my knitting needles and crochet hooks during my long 3.5 year recovery from acute leukemia and stem cell transplant. Click here if you like to read more about my recovery from leukemia and stem transplant.
Working with yarn and needles/hooks helped me be present, in the HERE, and not on my illness. Toy animals (my favorite), blankets, sweaters, socks, ponchos, and capes magically appeared as finished products…some were kept and others gifted.
A New York Times article explores knitting and crocheting as a vehicle for producing other health benefits like:
- reduce stress and anxiety
- sense of satisfaction and achievement
- weight loss and smoking cessation when involved in handicraft therapy groups
- reduce social isolation when participating in knitting and crochet groups
- feelings of happiness and joy
- less chronic pain
- less chance of mild cognitive decline and memory loss = enhance cognitive function.
Engaging in any creative activity, knitting, crocheting, and other needlecrafts in this case, requires you to be fully present, to be HERE, in the present moment. This is the healing benefit of creative activities.
Source: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/01/25/the-health-benefits-of-knitting
Now get crocheting, knitting, sewing, painting or whatever your hobby is and experience how these crafts can help you soothe your mind, body, and soul.
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