Neither walking nor exercising: the activity that improves short- and long-term memory

While it's true that experts recommend routine exercise (each person's preference depending on their circumstances and physical fitness) to keep their mind clear and stress at bay , there is another activity, performed with the hands, that recent studies have shown could improve concentration and memory.

And it seems that sewing is emerging as the new home exercise that can help us unleash our creativity, which is beneficial for our mental health, but also helps us relax, increase our concentration , and focus on the present while reducing anxiety and accumulated stress.

Physical and mental benefits of sewing

Since the pandemic, a time when we were looking for activities to keep us alert and entertained at home, sewing has established itself as one of the manual activities that relieves the stresses of the day, requiring a certain amount of concentration and using your hands, something experts always recommend for mental health.

In an overstimulated world where haste has taken over from calm, where we are driven by future goals rather than present stimuli, stopping the machine and focusing on a task like sewing only has benefits for mental health, and also for physical health, by improving coordination and balance.

Any manual task, and sewing in particular, is not only accessible to everyone , but also positive for cognitive development and skill development. It stimulates creativity, helps us control emotions and feel good, while also improving self-esteem through achievement. On a physical level, it contributes to fine motor skills, precision, and manual dexterity.

1. Sewing stimulates creativity

To summarize the benefits supported by all the expert opinions, the first of them, widely demonstrated, is that sewing fosters creativity , bringing out that artistic side that many people are unaware of in themselves.

The simple sensation of shaping something beautiful with our own hands generates a feeling of complete, conscious happiness , which contributes to improving self-esteem and producing that state of well-being that is so difficult to find in the world we live in, full of demands and where pressure is the master of our actions.

2. Working on patience helps you relax

Because it's a manual activity, requiring patience, the body and mind gradually become more focused on the task, and we begin to relax, unconsciously focusing on the "here and now." Experts guarantee that sewing can reduce stress and anxiety .

3. How does sewing improve memory?

This manual activity, sewing in its many variations, improves mental health because it stimulates concentration, a factor that impacts short- and long-term memory, as it forces us to coordinate each movement to achieve the final result .

Older adults who may have experienced cognitive decline benefit greatly from sewing, as it activates their fine motor skills , strengthening connections between different areas of the brain. By requiring attention, memory is strengthened.

Another great advantage is that by sewing, older adults can recall gratifying memories from the past, which will in some ways slow the progression of cognitive decline if they knit or sew routinely.

Do you want to receive the best content to take care of your health and feel good? Sign up for our new newsletter .