Keep Your Brain Healthy by Staying Hands On
Getting busy with your hands by doing things like writing, gardening, or knitting is not just fun; it’s also really good for your brain and how you feel. Nowadays, we spend a lot of time tapping on screens and pushing buttons, but we might be missing out on the good stuff that comes from doing more with our hands.
Dr. Kelly Lambert studies how doing things with our hands makes our brains happy. She found out that animals who work to get their food end up being healthier and smarter than those who get their food easily. This gives us a hint that people who enjoy hands-on hobbies, like crafting or planting flowers, can think better and feel less stressed or sad.
Handwriting, for example, is much better for your brain than typing on a keyboard. When you write something down with a pen, every letter needs a special movement. This makes your brain work harder and helps you remember things better. Typing the same buttons over and over doesn’t give your brain a very good workout.
So, why does this matter, especially as we get older? Doing things that make us move our hands in different ways can keep our brains sharp. Whether it’s the careful attention needed to follow a crafting pattern or the imagination used in drawing, these activities give us a sense of pride in what we’ve made. They show us that we can do great things, which can make us feel more in control of our lives.
By adding more hands-on activities into our daily lives, we’re not just having fun; we’re also making our brains stronger. From the brain boost we get from writing by hand to the calming effect of knitting, each activity helps us feel more present and engaged. So let’s make sure to spend some time every day doing things with our hands. It’s not only enjoyable but also great for keeping our minds healthy and happy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/28/well/mind/hands-mindfulness-typing-writing.html