Let there be GABA

Okay, folks, file this information under "knitting is good." I learned that the reason that collapsing into the rocking chair and knitting for a while when the kiddos go down for a nap feels so good is because the repetitious nature of knitting causes GABA to be released in the brain.

GABA stands for Gamma-aminobutyric acid, which was an unfortunate discovery as the sock I am knitting have a four-stitch repeat (k3p1), so I can chant Gamma (knit), amino (knit), butyric (knit), acid (purl) as I knit. How cool is that?

Anyhoo, according to Wikipedia, "[increasing] the available amount of GABA typically [has] relaxing, anti-anxiety and anti-convulsive effects."