Most of us probably get so wrapped up in our drive to create a finished project when we’re sewing that we don’t even realize the sewing benefits we pick up along the way. Sewing is more than just a hobby; it can be therapy, an outlet, and a form of exercise.
If you thought you were only creating an article of clothing, think again. When you’re sewing, you’re also creating a better you.
Physical Sewing Benefits
Okay, so it’s not like sewing will give you abs or substitute for your cardio workout, but your body benefits from it in several ways!
In big to little ways, sewing helps your body and brain work areas they don’t usually get to flex. So, get ready to work that creative muscle; it’s time to bulk up! (Figuratively speaking, of course.) Whether you’ve been sewing your whole life or you are just starting to learn to sew, all benefits apply to you!
Hand-Eye Coordination
Gah! Have you ever tried to thread a needle? Then you understand where I’m coming from here. From the first time you learn how to sew by hand, it’s clear that sewing can be a full-body sport.
However, there’s a lot more than just trying to poke an uncooperative thread through a tiny hole to work your dexterity skills. Sewing involves cutting fabric in an exact shape and size and running your material through your machine along the seam, following any curves. There are many small details that require your attention.
And look at all those tiny supplies for sewing that you frequently work with: pins, bobbins, and buttons! Those require dexterity!
Fine motor skills begin to decline with age, so you must work them frequently to retain them. Sewing aids those fine motor skills by forcing your to practice them.
Better Posture
Try sewing in a slumped position for any amount of time, and you’ll understand why it’s a bad idea. Hunching over your work can result in terrible back and neck pain; it’s a common sewing mistake only beginners make.
You may not even realize you’re making a choice to sit up straight while sewing, but your body will quickly adjust, and you’ll find yourself with excellent posture. In addition, the longer you sit straight and practice good posture while sewing, the more likely you may carry that into your other activities.
Another benefit of good posture? It increases your energy!
Lowers Blood Pressure
Sewing is a calming activity that can lower your stress levels and your blood pressure along with it. It also lowers your heart rate, so it’s calming all around. And keeping your blood pressure low is critical. High blood pressure can lead to many diseases and has deadly side effects.
Don’t worry about minor frustrations when you mess up; it’s only fabric! You can fix almost anything. Even with mess-ups and do-overs, sewing is still an excellent way to relax.
Finger Strength & Flexibility
You probably don’t think about it very much, but your hands and fingers have a certain amount of strength. It’s essential to retain that strength, especially as we age. But, unfortunately, conditions like arthritis can rob our once nimble fingers of their usual ability to move their normal way.
Sewing works your hands, keeping them deft and agile. Activities like cutting, threading, moving your material through your sewing machine, and hand sewing are all helpful in keeping your hands moving the way they always have.
Losing strength in your hands isn’t entirely preventable as you age, but you can fight much of it off with sewing.
Fights Dementia
This one may seem far-fetched on the surface, but fighting off dementia is one of the astonishing side effects!
When you are engaged in a sewing project, your mind is laser-focused. You must concentrate on all the steps required to complete your pattern so your brain is active and engaged the entire time. That’s even if you are sewing a written pattern; if you know how to make your own sewing pattern, you’re exercising yet another part of your brain!
This is terrific exercise for your mind, keeping it healthy and young.
Mental Sewing Benefits
If you’ve ever become frustrated with a creative project and were tempted to give up, it may feel like a stretch to think that an activity such as sewing boosts you mentally in any way.
However, think about your creative endeavors. Sure, there are times your project makes you feel angry or incapable. But you either correct the problem or change course and keep plodding on. And what is that feeling you have in the end when you’ve finally finished your project? Validation!
Here are a few other mental rewards.
Improves Mood
Yep, sewing cheers you up! It does this on many levels — when you finish a project that turned out halfway decent, you gain confidence. That makes you happy! When you are in “the zone” and so deeply involved in creating that you barely notice the time, that makes you happy!
Any time you are doing something you enjoy, your brain gets a dopamine boost, which, you guessed it, makes you happy! So the next time your family is driving you batty, don’t argue with them. Instead, excuse yourself to your sewing room. You might say your hobby is a benefit for the entire family!
Stress Reducer
This goes along with the lowered heart rate and blood pressure I discussed above. When your heart rate is reduced, you are incredibly calm, which can feel like all your tension is just washed away.
You don’t have the brain space to focus on thoughts that are causing you anxiety when you’re engaged and focused on an activity. You need to be fully focused when sewing; it demands all of your attention. For at least a little while, you can literally forget your stress.
Self-Confidence
The more you sew, the more skills you will learn. And the better you’ll get at them as you practice, too. Seeing the progress you make can be a real morale booster!
Sewing raises your confidence because it shows you that you are capable of creating. That’s a powerful feeling! Even if you start very small and create something that doesn’t seem very consequential to the world, it’s meaningful to you. It is proof that you can take something into your hands and transform it.
What a rush.
Meditative
You may not think of sewing as your meditation, but it can act upon your brain similarly. When you’re meditating, you clear your mind and only focus on what is directly in your presence. That’s precisely what you do when you are focused on any craft, especially one like sewing that requires focus. Even just the pleasure of spending time in the store admiring all the fabric types can clear your mind.
Meditation elicits a calming response from your body and brain; sewing does the same thing.
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