Mental Health Benefits of Holiday Baking
Abby Grant
| 3 min read
With the holiday season comes colder weather, busy schedules and a never-ending to-do list. This can create added stress and anxiety for many people. Because of the added stress during the holidays, it is important to find ways in which you can manage stress and prioritize your mental health.
While there are many ways to deal with holiday stress, one of the best ways is to bake. Baking is already a favorite holiday activity for many people, but research shows that baking can help reduce stress and anxiety.
Baking is something that you can do alone, or it can be a fun holiday activity for the whole family. Setting aside time this holiday season to bake is a good way to prioritize your mental health.
Here are four ways that baking benefits your mental health:
- Control
Baking is a way for you to regain some control when the holiday season seems too busy to manage. Following a recipe when baking can be therapeutic and with the chaos of the holiday season it is beneficial to your mental health to feel in control of something. Once you pick a recipe to bake you can relax and follow the recipe’s step-by-step guide. You are in control of the kitchen and that can be a relaxing thought.
- Creativity
Families often bake the same set of baked goods every holiday season, but sometimes it is beneficial to try a new recipe. Baking can be a creative outlet. Letting go and being creative can give your brain a break from the holiday stress, anxiety and depression. Here are just a few creative holiday recipes that you can try this season:
- Focus
One of the best things about baking, especially baking during the holiday season, is that it allows you to remove yourself from the stress that the holiday season brings and focus on the task at hand: baking delicious treats. Focusing your brain on baking allows you to get out of your head and decrease the anxiety that you may be feeling. Find a recipe that you feel comfortable baking and only focus on baking your favorite baked good. Not only do you get a mental break for an hour or two, but you also get to eat your tasty treat.
- Build relationships
Baking can be an individual hobby, but it can also be fun and relaxing activity for the whole family. Baking holiday treats could be your family’s next holiday tradition. It can also be a way to connect with family in a new way. Baking can be a social outlet and can help if you are feeling a sense of isolation or depression during the holidays.
If you are feeling down, try baking with friends or family this holiday season. It doesn’t matter if you are an avid baker or you are just trying it for the first time, holiday baking is a hobby that is great for your mental health.
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