Yarn crafts - a moment of calm…

Mindfulness is a popular word that can be interpreted in many different ways. However, the most common way is to describe it as the act of paying close attention to the present moment. It is about letting everything else go and noticing the details in whatever is occurring at the present time.

Yarn crafts have been described as “practical mindfulness” because they allow you to be focused on the present moment, help you to shutdown external noise, and have a calming effect on your mind and body. Additionally, they are a creative process that give you a tangible end result.

Did you know that when you knit, your bilateral (two sided), coordinated hand movements fire neurons all over your brain? Just like playing a musical instrument, the act of using both your hands at once to make different movements stimulates a whole host of brain functions which, in turn, have wonderful health benefits. Studies have revealed that anxiety related issues can be helped through knitting.

According to the psychiatrists all of the above is due to the fact that knitting ( as well as other yarn crafts) has been shown to encourage the body to release the hormone dopamine which is a feel-good neurotransmitter.

Mindfulness can be way of grounding yourself. Sometimes, we get wrapped in our minds, our worries, our thoughts and tuning into the present allows us to let those things go.

Mindfulness can also enhance our appreciation of our experiences, even simple routine ones. The more we became aware of the experience, the more we can see the nuances that make it uniquely wonderful.

I can lose myself for hours in a challenging pattern or learning a new stitch, giving my sometimes-anxious mind, time to rest. I go into to a quiet place… it is that state of “flow” and for a few moments I am completely absorbed by an activity.

Picking up some yarn and needles can have such positive effect on your mental health and general wellbeing!

Love yarn crafts!

Ricardina x