Is Cooking the Secret Ingredient to Living Stress-Free?

Seven in 10 adults consider cooking and eating as the sixth ‘love language.’

The poll of 2,000 adults who cook regularly revealed that 80% use food as a way to comfort themselves after a stressful day and 65% will use food as a way to comfort others.

Over three-quarters agree cooking is a calming task for them to do, and it was ranked as the top activity people do when they need to relieve stress (65%), more than twice as high as the second leading choice: cleaning (31%).

People also turn to chores like gardening (30%), doing laundry (25%) and folding laundry (23%) to reduce stress.

The study found by the end of the day, 90% feel some degree of stress. Over a quarter claimed to feel stressed “all the time” or “often” after their day is done.

To destress, respondents said they enjoy tasks such as cooking (80%), cleaning (43%), doing laundry (41%), gardening (39%) and folding laundry (34%).

According to the findings, the most effective ways to relieve stress at the end of the day include listening to music, watching TV, taking a bath or shower, eating a comfort meal or cooking for themselves.

TOP 10 TASKS THAT RELIEVE STRESS

• Cooking - 65%
• Cleaning - 31%
• Gardening - 30%
• Doing laundry - 25%
• Folding laundry - 23%
• Mowing the lawn - 22%
• Doing dishes - 20%
• Organizing - 20%
• Sweeping/vacuuming/mopping - 19%
• Weeding - 18%