Carlos Sierra: 6 Ways Baking Benefits Your Mental Health

Ways Baking BenefitsYour Mental Health6

By Carlos Sierra

When we think of baking, we typically think of itsmain purpose being the delicious treats we get toeat afterwards. While the final product of bakingsure is tasty, there’s another positive effect, too.Baking has been shown to benefit mental health.

Here are a few ways that baking canimprove mental health:

1) It is creative.Psychologists have found that expressing yourself creatively is often connectedto an increase in general wellbeing. Creativity can make you happier, so don’tbe afraid to get really creative with baking.

2) It is meditative.Any activity that requires your undivided attention has the potential to be calming andmeditative. When you measure out the ingredients, whisk the eggs and mix ingredientstogether, you are creating space in your mind. As a result you will often find that baking andother meditative activities ease negative thinking processes.

3) Nourishing activities feel good.When you’re doing something that involves taking care of yourself and others, you arebound to feel more happy. Baking, cooking and other forms of food preparation are all keyexamples of this. When you’re baking, try and think about the healthy ingredients and thelove that you’re putting into your baked goods. This is will make you feel more fulfilled.

4) It stimulates the senses.From the feeling of the dough to the sound of the blender to the smell of thefinal product, baking does quite a lot for the senses. When your senses getstimulated, you experience an increase in endorphins, thus making you happy.

6) It involves physical processesWhile baking might not be the same as full-on workout, there are many physicalactions required in baking that can lead to a release of endorphins. From kneadingto mixing to rolling, baking is more physically adventurous than one might think.

Baking can make you feel more at easewhile also giving you a sense of

accomplishment. If you experience amental health problem, or even if

you’re just feeling a little stressed out,baking can be the perfect way to giveyourself a better sense of wellbeing.And with tasty treats as the result,

there really is no downside.