Crafts improve happiness and life satisfaction, new study shows

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Crafting boosts creativity and provides a sense of achievement

At Prima we love all things craft – but did you know that arts and crafts can actually boost your happiness and feelings of life satisfaction?

According to a new study, being creative can give us a significant wellbeing boost, bringing with it a sense of achievement and self-expression.

The study, conducted by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport between April 2019 and March 2020, analysed a group of over 7,000 people aged 16 or over.

37% said that they had taken part in a crafting activity over the last twelve months, and those people reported higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction, as well as a stronger sense that life is worthwhile.

In fact, crafting gave a greater boost to feeling that life is worthwhile than employment, according to the results of the study.

The lead author, Dr Helen Keyes of Angela Ruskin University, explained: "Crafting and other artistic activities showed a meaningful effect in predicting people’s sense that their life is worthwhile".

As a result of the study, Dr Keyes believes that creative activities should be harnessed to improve the public's wellbeing.

She said: "Governments and national health services might consider funding and promoting crafting, or even socially prescribing these activities for at-risk populations, as part of a promotion and prevention approach to wellbeing and mental health".

Crafting has become more and more popular across the UK, with brilliant celebrity crafters like Sara Davies sharing fabulous easy craft projects to try at home. We also love seeing Tom Daley's knitting and crochet ideas, and loved watching him stitch poolside at the Paris Olympics.

Stay tuned for plenty of brilliant knitting, crochet, cross stitch and card making ideas from Prima – and much, much more!

Do you love crafting? Share your creations with us by tagging @primamag in your pictures on Instagram!

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