The Reason Why Baking Makes You Feel Good, According to Psychologists

Studies have shown that creative activities like baking and knitting contribute to an overall sense of well-being. Boston University associate professor of psychological and brain sciences Donna Pincus told HuffPost that there’s “a stress relief that people get from having some kind of an outlet and a way to express themselves.”

Baking is very good for focusing the mind because it often relies on very exact measurements. You have to add ingredients in the correct order or your profiteroles won't rise, or your cookies will be soggy. Having complete focus on a recipe and not allowing yourself to be distracted by your thoughts can have a therapeutic affect.

In other words, most of the decisions have already been made for you, allowing you to concentrate on the details while nudging your mind away from the stressors and anxieties of your life outside the kitchen.

Basically, baking is a minor feat that you can use to visualize a happy moment in the future, when the cookies, bread, or cake is finished, delicious, and being shared with family or friends.

The act of sharing your finished product can be good for the body and soul, too, says Pincus.

“You feel like you’ve done something good for the world, which perhaps increases your meaning in life and connection with other people.”

“烘焙使人快乐”，原来是有科学依据的

研究表明，烘焙和编织等创造性活动有助于提高幸福感。波士顿大学心理学和脑科学副教授唐娜·平卡斯在接受《赫芬顿邮报》采访时表示，“人们有了发泄和表达自己的方式，就能缓解压力。”

烘焙对集中精神非常有帮助，因为其过程中通常需要非常精确的测量。你必须按照正确的顺序添加配料，否则你的泡芙就不会膨胀，或者饼干可能会变软。将注意力完全集中在食谱上，不允许自己分心，可以产生治疗效果。

换句话说，你需要做的事情都已经规定好了，你可以专注于细节，同时让思绪远离厨房外生活中的压力和焦虑。

烘焙可以给你带来小小的成就感，你可以想象美味可口的饼干、面包或蛋糕出炉后，与家人朋友分享的幸福时刻。

平卡斯说，分享烘焙成果对身心健康也有好处。

“你觉得自己为世界做了一些好事，这可能会丰富生活的意义，增强与他人的联系。”