What is Stress Baking ? | Stress baking for stress reduction.

The pandemic of Covid-19 has created a lot of artists, dancers, actors, influencers and bloggers. But, one of the  most famous trend that came up was cooking and baking. The result is that now we have atleast one Sanjeev Kapoor in every household. Everybody’s phone was loaded with different food items prepared by family and friends in the initial months of lock down. It was like a Master chef competition, because the dishes were decorated and presented well before clicking and forwarding the picture. Also there were judges who used to comment on those pictures. This trend almost looked like a virtual cooking show. 🙂

Rise of Stress Baking

Jokes apart, now when i deeply think about this cooking and baking craze. I could really come up with the logic behind this cooking and baking trend in such crisis. To be true, I am also one of those who were into this trend, the so called “Virtual Master chef competition” during lock-down. In this article, I will just focus on baking because that was my actual interest during lock down rather than cooking.

Starting from the beginning, I was never a person who loved to bake. In fact, I hated it when I used to see people making cakes themselves. In India, we have a culture of flame cooked food and not the baked food. Baking is done occasionally and that too, not in every house. We just love our own type of flame cooked stirred and stewed food. So, we prefer buying the baked food from the bakery itself that are opened at every street of our towns and cities. The easy availability of yummy baked food at affordable prices never motivated me to learn baking.

Now, not diverting from our topic and coming back to the logic behind “stress baking”, yes, stress was the reason behind this trend according to me. It was a term which was never heard by me before this pandemic. But when I searched on google about this concept, it was trending everywhere. I could see a lot of baking videos uploaded even by the celebs. Actually, It was the stress and the boredom that was motivating us to try baking. This was one of the very few options available which could be practiced inside our houses safely.

What is Stress Baking?

We have already been writing a lot about stress, anxiety, depression, etc in our blog. So, lets not discuss about these in details and just focus on the concept of Stress Baking.

Stress Baking is simply the baking done in troubled times. It has no technical description. Some people enjoy baking and feel good and relaxed when they bake. This helps them to forget about stress and the focus is on baking and creativity due to its engaging process. Thus we call it stress baking/ anxiety baking/depression baking/quarantine baking or whatever you want to call it. This concept has gained popularity in recent times.

Stress baking is a challenge in itself that keeps you busy in making baked food like cakes, cookies, breads, muffins , pizzas, etc using your creativity in terms of colors, designs, shapes and flavors. After following this practice, many people have agreed that baking has really helped them in reducing stress and anxiety. I am sure, after reading it, many of you will give a deep thought about how baking unknowingly made you feel and that it was actually helping you relax your mind.

Psychology supporting Stress Baking

Many psychologists believe that baking is one of the best ways to combat stress and anxiety as it keeps you engaged. When we bake, even the end of the world does not matter, because at any cost, we would not want our cakes and cookies to get spoiled. :-). We deeply get engrossed in the process of baking which includes measuring, mixing, rolling and shaping and of course timings. At the end of this process, all you will achieve is reduced stress, increased focus and a yummy sweet cake made by you. 

 There is a rise in websites and #hashtags that are focusing on this concept of stress baking. There is a concept of baking dates, where parents and children or even couples and friends practice stress baking together and help each other in the process to get final product. It is said to develop connections between them. There is also an organisation know as Depressed Cake Shop ,it promotes worldwide virtual bake sales to raise awareness and funds to encourage bakers to #BakeYourMindOffIt . So, lets get more into the concept of Stress baking.

How Stress Baking helps ?

Stress baking or the baking done when you feel troubled helps in many ways mentally. The only thing you have to do is to start the process and perform till the end.. rest all will be done by stress baking inside your mind. following are the things done by stress baking.

Baking is mindful

Baking is mindful as it makes you to pay attention to yourself in the present moment. It brings your focus into the present by keeping you engrossed into it. You tend to forget about past and forget worrying about future till the time you are baking. All you happen to do is to focus in present.

Baking Affects Mood

Baking affects your mood as it makes you feel good about you and your skills and creativity. It really makes you feel happy when you get compliments for the cakes and cookies and whatever you have baked.

Baking gives a sense of control

It keeps you in control of present time as baking is a process which needs to be finished in time. The over baked and under baked recipes get spoiled. So, It helps in shifting your attention from stress and worries to the timings of baking process.

Baking gives a sense of creativity

When you craved for something sweet during lock down, You had no option but to bake at home, since the bakers were closed. Those who did not know baking somehow managed to learn few recipes online. Baking at home allows you to play with colors, flavors, shapes, decorations, etc. you show your creativity by choosing these features of a product you are going to bake.

Baking connects with people you love

When you bake something, you want to share it with your friends and family. You send pictures of what you have made and how amazing it looks. You love to share the recipe or even love to send that baked thing to your near and dear ones, specially if its an occasion. Hence, it keeps you connected during celebrations as well.

Baking activates the sensory triggers

The aroma and flavors are so tempting and comforting that it makes you feel happy about what you are baking. These olfactory aromas reach the area of your brain which functions with the emotions.

Baking gives a sense of accomplishment

After putting so much effort , focus and creativity along with the ingredients in baking, when the final recipe is ready and comes out of the oven, all you feel is “just wow” and the taste buds just cant control. It gives a feeling of accomplishment and achievement.

So, just get up and do stress baking. Make brownies if it calms your nerves. Create beautiful cakes, if it puts you at ease. Just grab some recipes online and have a happy baking. All thanks to this lock down that gave rise to that baker inside me ….wink…and now I am the proud baker of my house as I am being approached by my family members till now to bake on all the birthdays and anniversaries. It has definitely improved me and I feel proud of myself that I bake and bring smile on mine and my family’s faces. Always remember “As long as you know how to bake, life is sure to be sweet”