The Amazing Impact that Knitting Has on Anxiety
Let's take a minute to talk about a not-so-cozy subject: anxiety. Anxiety takes on many different shapes and forms, but according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, 40 million folks in the United States alone experience a type of anxiety disorder.
Please note that I am not a licensed counselor, therapist, or psychologist of any kind, but I am one of that 40 million. As someone who deals with anxiety, I wanted to shed light on the powerful calming effects of knitting. Whether you are a seasoned knitter who loves how therapeutic knitting is but wants to learn why or someone interested in picking up the craft, read on to learn about the positive impact that knitting has on mental health.
The act of knitting physically relaxes you
When you get into the groove, the repetitive motions and the softness of the yarn can create a relaxed state of mind, similar to meditation or yoga. Studies have shown that knitting reduces blood pressure and cortisol, which is known as the stress hormone.
A specific study conducted by Harvard Medical School found that knitting lowers your heart rate by 11 beats per minute on average, which causes the relaxed and calm feeling you may experience. (Of course, we can only assume that these studies counted finding a mistake and having to frog your work as an outlier.) According to this same study, when a knitter’s heart rate is lowered, it can cause a state of calm and flow that is comparable to when athletes get in the zone. I find this hilarious as well as awesome.
Knitting keeps you in the moment
Thinking about things that aren’t happening now is common with anxiety. Anxiety often detaches you from the present moment, whether you're worrying over the past or obsessing over future what-ifs. Knitting has a way of grounding you and keeping you tied to the right now. Simply keeping your hands busy creates a sensory effect that gets you out of your head.
Rather than scrolling through your phone (which can cause anxiety on its own), bingeing a tv show and knitting can be wayyy more relaxing. If you often feel anxious in social situations, back-to-back zoom meetings, class, etc., try bringing a project with you to see if it helps! And focusing on a complicated pattern doesn’t leave much room for other thoughts. Having a project that holds your focus, rather than anxious thoughts, can help to calm your nerves.
Get inspired to make some must-have fall or winter knitting patterns that range in style and complexity!
Knitting gives you a sense of productivity and accomplishment
While it can be said that our society has an unhealthy relationship with productivity, the beautiful thing about knitting is that it helps you feel productive while you are also relaxing. Now, many hobbies can lead to a sense of accomplishment and productivity, but not all hobbies allow you to chill on the couch for hours and eventually turn out a cute pair of socks that brings joy to you or someone in your life regularly.
Also, is there any better feeling than when you get a compliment on something you knitted, and you get to say, “I made it!”? There is such a thrill to spend hours on a project and end up creating something not only useful but beautiful. And the best part (in my opinion) is that the hours spent making the project took your mind off of anxious thoughts, relaxed you, and filled your cup.
Again, I am not a licensed counselor, therapist, or psychologist of any kind, and I’m not saying that knitting alone is the cure-all for anxiety. However, as someone who has dealt with anxiety throughout my life, I can say that knitting has helped me immensely. I’m curious to know if it helps you too. Leave a comment below if knitting is a therapeutic practice for you, or share with a friend who has been thinking of learning!