As the new year rolls in with its usual allure of self-actualisation and breaking bad habits, more than anything else, in 2024, I want to reduce my screen time. Of course, I’m not alone in this desire.

Beyond the usual advice to journal and meditate, registered psychologist Sahra O’Doherty says knitting and crocheting can be highly beneficial for our mental health, after putting our phones away.

When we’re engaged in repetitive motion tasks, our body and mind settle, O’Doherty, who happens to be a keen crocheter, says. “Our heart rate and breathing even out and we have lower blood pressure.”

Although most of the evidence to support this is anecdotal, a study conducted by the University of Wollongong found that respondents felt happier, calmer and more useful after crocheting. And the benefits of engaging in craft have been endorsed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and the Consumers Health Forum of Australia too.

The flow state

What sets knitting and crocheting apart from other crafts is the rhythm of stitches and needles clicking. O’Doherty says this sense of rhythm can lead to a sensation known as flow state, a pleasurable experience psychologically, when someone is so engaged by an activity that time disappears.

Activities that are challenging, but not overwhelming, stressful or heavy are the path to flow. “There has to be a sense of ease,” she says. Reaching flow will change depending on the skill level of the knitter or crocheter, and how complicated the project is, she says. But in flow, thoughts and movements should come naturally and feel pleasurable and joyful.

A mental wellbeing booster

In her psychology practice, O’Doherty prescribes lots of crafts, but particularly knitting and crocheting, to help people manage their mental states. She says crafts can be a useful antidote to depression, because they help pull us out of negative thought spirals and refocus us on things that give us a sense of achievement, which can combat feelings of worthlessness, helplessness or hopelessness.

Knitting and crochet are useful for anxiety too, because they can provide a sense of control that reduces feelings of uncertainty and ruminations. There’s also evidence that crocheting and knitting are effective in maintaining dexterity and cognitive health as we age.

Knitting and crocheting are also powerful tools for processing grief and other challenging emotions. This is because the repetition of stitching absorbs part of your attention, while still allowing you to think deeply about other things. This is also useful for contemplating the future, or considering we want out of our jobs and relationships. “Allowing ourselves time to sit and process and not be distracted by things like our phones is absolutely important,” O’Doherty says.

An attention extender

Extended periods of focused attention, like those required for knitting and crocheting, are a much-needed antidote to the impacts of endless scrolling. The photos and videos we see on social media apps give us bite-size chunks of information, one after another, that we have to do a lot of mental work to process.

“We get short bursts of lots of information that we have to digest fast,” O’Doherty says. “It’s like a constant stream of stress or information that means we’re constantly making decisions or judgments.” If that sounds exhausting, that is because it is. But when someone knits or crochets, most of their attention is focused on one task: a calming, soothing and rewarding one.

A social connector

O’Doherty says sharing an activity with others can give people a much-needed sense of connection and, while knitting and crocheting can be done alone, they have very active communities both online and offline.

Having a solo activity that can be done in a circle, or around a table, has added benefits for those who suffer from social anxiety. It can alleviate the pressure of eye contact or small talk that might come with more extroverted activities. “Everyone is doing their own thing and supporting each other,” she says.

“We’re in the same space, but we are managing those social interactions in a little bit more of a relaxed, chilled kind of way.”