I don’t think any of us need to be told that we are living in a stressful world. We feel it everywhere, regardless of whether we are going to school, to the grocery store, or sometimes, even hanging out at home.
According to the APA, feelings of anxiety are being experienced by some 47% of American adults and 67% of people surveyed said that they were overwhelmed by recent events in the past year.
In order to curtail some of the stress, people will go to great lengths and try everything, from meditation and yoga to a good walk. There are also those who have a creative side and they are in a great position to reduce some of their stress.
A study has shown that one way to reduce your stress is to take up crocheting. It seems as if it is a therapeutic activity that many people are now enjoying.
Pippa Burns, Ph.D., and Rosemary Van Der Meer, Ph.D., were behind the 2020 study. They are from the University of Woolongong in Australia. Their study looked at people who crochet and they discovered that the hobby may help with an individual’s well-being.
The research paper even refers to the people who crochet as “Happy Hookers.” 8000 people participated in the study and 9 out of 10 of them and said that crocheting made them feel calm. A similar amount said that they felt happier when they crocheted.
Although most people who crochet realize that it can be therapeutic, there may be certain aspects of it that help to make an individual feel better. In order to determine this, the researchers asked people why they love to crochet.
Some people mentioned that they enjoyed picking out colors to start a project. Others said that it was the texture of the yarn and interacting with it as they took part in the craft. Even patterns within the stitches were able to provide something soothing to a jumbled mind.
Other benefits also seem to come from crocheting, such as better memory and concentration. 74% of those who took part in the study said it was good for their memory and a similar amount said that they saw an improvement in their concentration.
The American Counseling Association seems to agree with the findings of this recent survey. A number of studies were published in a summary that showed how knitting and crocheting can help to slow down dementia symptoms and even cure insomnia. It may even be associated with better reading and comprehension.
Although crocheting is not likely a cure-all for everything that ails you, it may help to soothe your nerves if you are struggling in that department. It also has some side benefits, because we could all use a new hat or Afghan every once in a while.