Knitting is Healthy

So hear this, knitting is healthy. I've always thought knitting had no connection to health. For my own personal experience, knitting is an opportunity to vegetate in front of the TV with needles in hand. So imagine my surprise when I come across various sources extolling the health benefits of knitting. Yes, that's the activity where you sit on your bottom and lope yarn around two needles - knitting.

I'm sure this is not a comprehensive list, but here are some of the benefits knitting brings you - it lowers your pulse rate and decreases blood pressure in patients with hypertension, reduces pain in those with chronic disease, provides relief from symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (note that there is a large contingent of male knitters, so sorry guys), lessens the incidence and severity of migraine and cluster headaches, and reduces anxiety resulting from mild depression.

OK, so it won't get your adrenaline pumping or work all your muscles, but at least I feel a bit better about my hours of knitting in front of the "idiot box".