7 Try knitting
Assuming you like crafting (Kissen emphasizes some people are overwhelmed by the mere thought!), there’s evidence that the repetitive action of clicking your needles can be meditative and calming. There’s also been research that looked at women with anxiety who also had eating disorders that found knitting made most of them less preoccupied and anxious. If you’re a newbie, check out these DIY tutorial videos from We Are Knitters, which also makes easy beginner kits.
8 Go ahead and stress bake!
Baking checks so many stress-reduction boxes: It can be a sensory experience (smushing the dough, the smell of baked yummies and of course the taste); it is a project that requires planning, concentration, and mindfulness, which activates your brain; and if you enjoy it, it’s fun. Kate Merker, Good Housekeeping’s Chief Food Director, loves this amazing blueberry sweet roll recipe, but if you’ve had enough sugar, move on to a healthy pizza recipe. “It feels comforting and you can literally put anything on top of pizza dough,” she says. “My kids help shape the dough, which is just fun, and they get a kick out of me twirling it in the air.” And if you’re stressed by the fact that no eats the same thing in your house? “Everyone can pick and choose their own topping,” Merker adds.