From hectic WFH schedules and back-to-back Zoom meetings to relationship struggles and getting your kids back into school mode, it's no wonder people are turning to baking therapy to help reduce anxiety and promote peace and calm.
Baking therapy is a new trend both online and off, and when you think about it, it makes complete sense. Remember when quarantine first started, and everyone was obsessed with learning how to make bread? Baking is a nostalgic and tactile experience that can calm the nervous system, soothe a worried mind, and provide a super-sweet cheer up when you need it most. Ready to start giving yourself some baking therapy? Here are some of the most popular ways to chill out and savor the sweetness of life.
via Dr. Oetker
Baking ASMR
According to Dr. Oetker, #bakingasmr currently has more than 15 million views on TikTok, with content featuring sensorial experiences like cake decorating, step-by-step baking methods, and more. Of course, ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) content is hardly limited to the culinary world. Over the last decade, awareness around ASMR has led to a plethora of creative new applications, from Lush ASMR content to reaction videos of celebs trying ASMR.
When it comes to baking, the connection between sensory experience and calm seems pretty obvious. After all, who hasn't found the sound of their grandma baking cookies in the kitchen comforting and relaxing?
Mindful Baking
Another way to relax and unwind through baking is to simply do it mindfully. Baking can be highly immersive, requiring you to focus your brain (to measure ingredients and follow instructions), engage your sense of touch (to knead dough or roll cookies), and utilize your sense of smell (for a cue as to when your confection is almost ready).
To practice mindful baking, go into the kitchen with the goal of tuning in and tuning out. Make sure you won't be distracted, and either put on some soft music or immerse yourself in silence (minus the gentle clinks and clangs of cooking). As you cook, focus on noticing all the sensorial elements of your experience.
Cake Decorating
If you've ever attempted cake decorating, you know how much focus and concentration it requires! Decorating a baked good is no piece of cake (pun TOTALLY intended). So why not make it a meditative experience?
Sign up for a cake decorating class like ours here at Brit + Co, and discover a state of flow as you become more and more familiar with the decorating process. Eventually, you won't need classes at all… You'll simply have a creative outlet (much like painting or drawing) that can help reduce anxiety and promote feelings of calm and focus.
Intuitive Eating
One of the principles of intuitive eating is that you should ideally tune out all distractions when sitting down to eat. Intuitive eating also fully recognizes that people eat for emotional comfort — and that's totally okay! The goal here is to do it mindfully.
After you've prepared a baked good, sit down at a finely dressed table with beautiful elements like candles and nice dishes. Pick up the baked good in your hands; take a deep breath in, smelling the sweet concoction at your fingertips. As you eat, close your eyes and taste every morsel of your treat, allowing yourself to take comfort in its warmth and sweetness. Now that's living deliciously.
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