The Olympian is Tom Daly. Most decorated diver She can also be an avid knitter in British history. Daley added a fifth medal to his collection on the Paris 2024 Olympics – and captured the world's attention by donning a vivid blue “Paris 24” jumper as he traveled through games and the stands.
At the Tokyo Olympics, where Daly placed first. Stained weavethat Explained It has positive effects on mental health.
It just became my way of mindfulness, my meditation, my way of calming down and escaping the pressures of on a regular basis life and particularly going to the Olympics.
gave The mental health benefits of knitting are well established. So why is someone as famous as Daly Banna still so surprising in public?
Knitting is gender specific.
Knitting is often related to women. Especially older women – As a hobby at home. In one Large international surveys Of this, 99% of respondents identified as women.
But the history of yarn craft and gender is more complicated. In the Middle Ages in Europe, The weaving guilds were special And reserved for men. They were a part of a decent Europe-wide trade that met a requirement for knitted products that would not be satisfied by domestic employees alone.
gave The industrial revolution Made the production of fabric goods cheaper and faster than hand weaving. Knitting and other needlework became recreational activities for ladies, carried out within the private sphere of the house.
The First and Second World Wars focused attention on knitting as a “patriotic duty”, nevertheless it was still taken up by most ladies.
During the COVID lockdown, Banai saw one other To be born again. But knitting still often makes headlines when men – especially famous men like Daley or actors Ryan Gosling – Do it.
Men who are sometimes seen as being to vomit The stereotype is that it’s an activity for older women.
Relieve stress
Knitting can create a way of pride and success. But for a top athlete like Daly – whose achievements already include 4 gold medals and a silver – the advantages lie elsewhere.
Olympics-level sport relies on perfect scores and world records. When it involves knitting, lots of the mental health advantages are related to the method reasonably than the tip result.
Daily They say Knitting is “the one thing” that enables her to completely shut down, describing it as “my therapy.”
The Olympian says he can.
Honestly, knitting for hours on end. There is something very satisfying to me about just having that rhythm and the little “click-clack” of the knitting needles. Not a day goes by once I don't make it.
Knitting can create a state of “flow” through the rhythmic, repetitive motion of the yarn and needle. Flow presents us with a balance Between challenge, accessibility and sense of control.
It has been shown to have stress-relieving advantages in high-stress jobs outside of elite sport. Among surgeons, Bani has been found To improve fitness in addition to manual dexterity, which is significant for his or her role.
For other health professionals – including oncology nurses and mental medical experts – to be. helped reduce”Compassion fatigue“and burnout. Participants described the comforting noise of their knitting needles. They developed and strengthened team bonds through collective knitting practices.
Another study It has been shown that knitting in primary school can enhance children's executive function. It includes the flexibility to listen, remember relevant details, and block distractions.
As an everyday creative exercise, this has also been done Used in treatment Suppressing grief, depression and intrusive thoughts in addition to combating chronic pain and cognitive decline.
Becoming is a community.
gave Evidence Benefits of knitting are sometimes based on self-reporting. These studies produce consistent results and include large population samples.
This may point to a different advantage of knitting: its social aspect.
Knitting and other yarn crafts could be done alone, and typically require easy materials. But in addition they provide a chance to socialize by bringing people together around a typical interest, which will help. Reduce loneliness.
Includes the free needlecraft database and social network Ravelry. More than a million Patterns, contributed by users. “Yarn bombing” is the goal of projects. Engage the community And beautify public spaces by covering things like benches and stop signs with wool.
Daley's interest in online videos has created a community of his own.
In them he shows the technique of making the jumper, not only the finished product. This includes where they “It went wrongAnd had to complete my work.
His pride within the finished product – just a little annoying, but “Made with love” – could be a refreshing antidote to the flawless achievements often on display on the Olympics.