▁been ▁collected , ▁and ▁suggest ▁that ▁hand - kn itting ▁is ▁often ▁associated ▁with ▁comp ass ion . ▁ ▁" I ▁kn it ▁love ▁into ▁every ▁st itch " ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁ref rain . ▁ ▁The ▁repet itive ▁aspect ▁of ▁hand - kn itting ▁is ▁generally ▁relax ing ▁and ▁can ▁be ▁well - su ited ▁for ▁med it ational ▁or ▁spiritual ▁practice . ▁ ▁Health ▁benefits ▁Studies ▁have ▁shown ▁that ▁kn itting , ▁along ▁with ▁other ▁forms ▁of ▁need le work , ▁provide ▁several ▁significant ▁health ▁benefits . ▁ ▁These ▁studies ▁have ▁found ▁the ▁rh yth mic ▁and ▁repet itive ▁action ▁of ▁kn itting ▁can ▁“ help ▁prevent ▁and ▁manage ▁stress , ▁pain ▁and ▁de pression , ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁strength ens ▁the ▁body ’ s ▁imm une ▁system ”, ▁ ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁create ▁a ▁relax ation ▁response ▁in ▁the ▁body ▁which ▁can ▁decrease ▁blood ▁pressure , ▁heart ▁rate , ▁help ▁prevent ▁ill ness , ▁and ▁have ▁a ▁cal ming ▁effect . ▁P ain ▁special ists ▁have ▁also ▁found ▁that ▁the ▁brain ▁chem istry ▁is ▁changed ▁when ▁one ▁kn its , ▁resulting ▁in ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁" fe el ▁good " ▁h orm ones ▁( i . e . ▁ser ot on in ▁and ▁dop am ine ), ▁and ▁a ▁decrease ▁in ▁stress ▁h orm ones . ▁ ▁Kn itting , ▁along ▁with ▁other ▁le is ure ▁activities ▁has ▁been ▁linked ▁to ▁reducing ▁the ▁risk ▁of ▁developing ▁Al z heimer ’ s ▁disease ▁and ▁de ment ia . ▁Much ▁like ▁physical