In a world where we continuously and, sometimes, relentlessly move to a digital way of living, be it at work or at home, craft activities are regarded as a break from the technological whirl we so often fall prey to and as a way to distress and return to the earlier stages of human activities.
Knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, weaving, woodworking, and other such activities will help you break your routine, use your brain in a different way, and socialize. The benefits of crafting come even in a greater number. If you haven’t crafted before but you want to or you want to get back to this old habit, here are a few reasons why doing so is a smart choice.
Therapeutic benefits
Craft-based activities have been part of the so-called occupational and diversional therapy for quite some time now. Used to help people with post-traumatic stress disorder, crafting has become a core part of certain therapies, given its positive benefits.
The mechanism of crafting is simple. By keeping you focused on something that might seem mindless, it helps you practice mindfulness and thus take your mind off negative thoughts or the day-to-day chores and work tasks. Many mental health facilities have turned arts and crafts into a regular activity in order to reduce stress and anxiety. According to an international online survey, crafting proves to be highly beneficial as knitting did not only reduce stress and anxiety but also helped those participating in the study enjoy a sense of accomplishment and improve their cognitive abilities. Another study reached the conclusion that quilting can enhance wellbeing.
Simple activities such as crocheting and knitting can help an overdriven brain slow down a bit and do so in a beneficial way by channeling it toward a simple and relaxing activity. By catching your attention entirely and absorbing you completely, a craft-based activity can thus help your brain regenerate and stop the unhealthy tension caused by one’s daily chores.
Think of the way any other hobby helps your brain. Take going outdoors for sightseeing or hunting, for example. Using pricey but high-quality binoculars to observe wildlife and landscapes will help your brain stay focused on a single thing. It’s just the same when it comes to crafting.
Anti-aging benefits
Feeling like a child again is not the only age-related benefit you will get to enjoy when crafting. This activity can actually protect against aging. Given the brain’s neuroplasticity and its ability to adapt, neuroscientists believe that mental activities can help delay certain conditions such as dementia and cerebral atrophy.
Craft activities will help you improve cognitive skills as well. You can thus increase your attention span and improve memory, be more creative, get better at problem-solving, and
improve eye-hand coordination and fine motor dexterity. Plus, it is a great way to discover your creativity and keeping your mind curious and active through crafting triggers further positive effects.
Social benefits
With tasks that seem to be more and more challenging and with the feeling that a day has too few hours for you to cover all of your to-dos, it is not uncommon to find yourself with too little time for your dear ones. You can use crafting to socialize and bond with friends and family. Craft activities are a great way to discover your creativity and spend time with the people you love.
Although there is still more to discover as far as these positive effects are concerned, it’s obvious that crafting improves one’s well-being in many ways. Many of those who engage in such activities and have participated in various studies say the same thing about crafting: it adds to one’s sense of happiness in one way or another.
