- Dariia Pasko
DIY is not for fun anymore
Not all of us become professional and world known artists. But everyone tried to create something from scratch at least several times during the childhood. Some people learn how to make money on what they paint or knit, but why DIY engage so many people of different ages?
According to the research, crafting actually helps your brain. Helps in sense of reducing chances of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by 30% to 50%. The study was published in The Journal of Neuropsychiatry in 2011.
“A random sample of 1,321 study participants ages 70 to 89 (N=1,124 cognitively normal persons, and N=197 subjects with MCI) were interviewed about the frequency of cognitive activities carried out in late life (within 1 year of the date of interview). Computer activities; craft activities, such as knitting, quilting, etc.; playing games; and reading books were associated with decreased odds of having MCI”.
MCI is not dementia, but if you have MCI, the risk is higher.
“Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the stage between the expected cognitive decline of normal aging and the more serious decline of dementia. It's characterized by problems with memory, language, thinking or judgment.
Mild cognitive impairment may increase your risk of later developing dementia, for about 10% to 15%. But some people with mild cognitive impairment never get worse, and a few eventually get better.”
Crafting also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which quiets “fight or flight” response and makes you feel distressed. While concentrating on a repetitive activity such as knitting, brain falls into “flow”. Time is melting and you forget about all the problems for a while.
“He doesn’t have enough attention left over to monitor how his body feels, or his problems at home. He can’t feel if he’s hungry or tired. His body disappears.” Says Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Claremont Graduate University’s Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Management.
Even though, DIY may require some additional expenses on materials, it brings pleasure and makes the brain stay in a good shape for longer.
Sources
https://boardandbrush.com/blog/diy-crafting-boosts-your-brain-keeps-you-young-science/
https://www.cnn.com/2014/03/25/health/brain-crafting-benefits/index.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21677242/
https://www.cgu.edu/people/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_u-Eh3h7Mo
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