What common hobby is shared by Madeleine Albright, Goldie Hawn, Russell Crow and thousands of other men and women across the country? The answer may surprise you. It’s knitting, a handicraft that is growing in popularity. Over three-quarters of American households have at least one family member who spends an average of 7.5 hours weekly engaged in some type of craft. Besides the obvious advantage of creating useful articles or garments, knitters also enjoy a host of health benefits both physical and psychological.

Knitting encourages you to immerse yourself in creativity and forget the stress and anxiety of your day. Being actively engaged in a project for which you are passionately interested, allows the brain to steep itself fully in the task. This produces a feeling similar to a runner’s high.

Crafts like knitting engage both your mind and body, and cause optimistic feelings about your life and future. Knitters also tend to be more social and outgoing, especially as they interact with others who share their passion for the art. Norwegian researcher, Koenraad Cuypers found that people who participated in cultural and art related activities had significantly higher levels of good health and over-all satisfaction than a test group who did not participate. Participants also demonstrated lower levels of anxiety and depression. This phenomenon occurred in both male and female participants, and the benefits were noted for those who enjoyed others art, but even more so in those who created it.