There are many benefits of crochet, so whether you are stressed out and cannot sleep or are doing your part to help slow down Alzheimer’s, you will be doing yourself and your health a favor.
Crocheting helps with insomnia, and reduces stress and anxiety. By focusing on something that is easy, repetitive and soothing just like crochet projects you can calm down your mind and body. When you are stressed or anxious on a rough day, take some time for yourself, pick up some yarn and your hook, and spend some time creating.
Crocheting helps ease or relieve depression and also reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s by 30-50%. When we do something we like, our brain releases dopamine, a chemical that affects our emotions and functions like a neutral antidepressant. Scientists now believe that crafting like Crocheting can help stimulate that dopamine release to allow us to feel happier and better about ourselves.
Whether you plan on challenging your memory by learning a new stitch or technique or simply by reading and working up a pattern by getting a little crafty, you will be helping preserve your memories.
Crochet builds self esteem. We all want to feel productive and useful, by working up a project to give as a gift or sell at a craft fair, we can do just that. Embrace your inner heroine by crocheting something to help your confidence.
Crocheting puts you in control. Crocheting is a way to put the control back into your own hands. By choosing to craft, you are in full control of everything, from the type of project you will be making, the colour and type of yarn, and even the type of crochet hooks to work with. That makes a difference in feeling like you have a say again.
Crocheting is prayer. Also it helps in grief processing. Yonas Geda, associate professor of neurology, Mayo clinic Arizona, published a study that validates crafters of all stripes. His research showed that people who engaged their minds in reading, playing games, and crafting had decreased risk of mild cognitive impairment, a possible precursor to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
It was Queen Victoria who made it popular by purchasing Irish lace crochet items from people trying to make a living after the potato famine in Ireland. She even learned to crochet herself and thus the craft became popular.
