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Knitting Brain Cells Together

While I was reading about boosting brain power, I had the intuition that knitting has got to be exercise for your brain.  Sometimes knitting can be meditative.  And believe me, struggling to wrap my mind around that lace pattern for my recently completed shawl--that was a brain workout.  I can't tell you how much ripping out I did before I finally got started.  At some point my brain and my fingers just started to work together.

Well, lo and behold, it turns out that there is some scientific investigation into the benefits of knitting (crocheting and sewing, too) for the brain.

According to Dr. Yonas Geda of the Mayo Clinic, knitting may be "neuro-protective."  It may reduce memory loss and symptoms of depression, which seems to be a factor in the likelihood that mild cognitive difficulties will lead to dementia. 

An interesting article about therapeutic knitting can be found here.


Maybe it's taking the easy way out, which might not be in the proper spirit,  But, hey, way easier than reading Kafka.  That's what I think.

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Comments

  1. BarbMay 10, 2011 at 3:24 PM

    I think knitting might be stressful for me - find me another activity, please. For you though - perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Meryl BaerMay 10, 2011 at 5:11 PM

    I'm with Barb. My friends tried to teach me a couple of years ago, and I failed. My grandmother tried decades ago. I wasn't ready. There's got to be other activities for us knitting flunkies.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Arkansas PattiMay 10, 2011 at 7:01 PM

    I'm with Barb and Mercyn I fear. My arthritic hands won't take that type of work so I will have to find another way.

    ReplyDelete
  4. MargaretMay 10, 2011 at 7:19 PM

    Well, now I have to get my project going. Really! I'm not surprised, I like the meditative qualities of knitting. But I still can't read a pattern.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Linda MyersMay 10, 2011 at 7:20 PM

    I'm thinking about taking it up - I crocheted for a few years way back when. What I don't think I could do at all is quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  6. marciamayoMay 11, 2011 at 4:58 AM

    Then I'd better get my skein out.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousMay 11, 2011 at 9:30 AM

    I like how you think Olga!
    Visiting from GrandmasBriefs.xom. Love your blog. I can't knit but I do crochet and I really believe it staves off depression and such. Have a beautiful day!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotteMay 13, 2011 at 11:21 PM

    For sure there's power needed to do it well. My mom very many bit of wool and created the most elaborate patters that were repeated and all from her brain!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousMay 16, 2011 at 9:15 PM

    I'm glad there are meditative knitters so I can wear sweaters, but I'm unhandy with those kind of skills and do much better with gardening or walking. We all manage different things, don't we?

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousJune 12, 2014 at 10:25 AM

    Yea for a Minnesota doctor and his open support of knitting! I live in Minnesota. I knit. My brain still works!

    ReplyDelete

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