After good-night kisses, embrace a ball of yarn and stitch your way to relaxation. Beyond creating a cozy cable-knit sweater or sumptuous scarf, knitting is beneficial for your overall well-being, says Melissa McCreery, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Bellingham, WA. “It can be difficult to give ourselves permission to slow down in the evening, and knitting helps to do this,” she explains. The repetitive motion of working with knitting needles can be almost meditative, and breathing becomes calmer and deeper as you focus on following the pattern.

As a bedtime ritual, knitting leads you toward sweet slumber. Then there’s the pleasure you get seeing the fruits of your labor—a potential gift for a loved one? Go ahead and knit one, purl two to peaceful.