Get Creative! Why Crafting is Great for Your Health

Crafting has seen somewhat of an explosion in popularity over the past few years. With thanks to Pinterest showcasing a never-ending stream of inspiring craft ideas, to television shows such as The Great British Sewing Bee, our love for crafting has witnessed a real resurgence – and rightly so!

There are so many benefits to crafting, from unleashing your creativity to learning a new skill and becoming a more resourceful individual. A study undertaken in 2017 on the impact of knitting also suggests that crafting is great for your health, and here’s why…

You may meet new people

Participating in craft workshops can be an amazing way of meeting like-minded individuals and expanding your social circle. If you’ve moved to a new area, or you just want to make new friends then this is perfect. It’s a great way to socialise, feel happier and discover a new hobby.

You can switch off

We’re constantly surrounded by technology; our phones never seem to stop showing us notifications and email inboxes are often overflowing. The pressures of modern life can feel overwhelming, which is why it’s a brilliant idea to take up a new interest that enables you to zone out of the online world and put your creative juices to the test. If you work in a stressful job or struggle to relax, then activities such as knitting and paper crafts will help your mind to stop for a minute and just relax.

You can learn a new skill

Even as we enter adult life, we should never stop learning and acquiring new skills. It’s all part of our personal development but can sometimes be forgotten as life gets busy and work gets in the way. Taking time out each week to learn a new skill such as knitting or crochet can help you to boost your creativity in all aspects of life but also give you the ability to put your new skill to the test. Once you’ve perfected your skill, you can then top up your craft box with more advanced tools or patterns – consider paying a site such as Homecrafts a visit who stock a range of kits and craft tools.

You can feel a sense of achievement

Remember that feeling of acing an exam or winning an award from your teachers at school? It’s a great feeling and one that you’re extremely proud of. When crafting and creating your own masterpieces, you feel that same sense of achievement when finishing up a project, or even learning how to do something new. That feeling of accomplishment is great for your mind and a real booster to your mental health. Don’t underestimate it.

You can channel your creativityCreativity provides us with a feel-good high and if your day job is particularly high-pressure and stressful then having a creative outlet can allow you to relieve some of your tension and stress. Crafting enables the mind to wander freely and express yourself as you wish. This can have a very positive impact on your mental health, but also enable you to flourish in other aspects of your life!