We have all been pondering at the book aisle at some point and have seen intricate coloring books for adults — and maybe just shrugged it off. Or maybe you’re like me and have three incomplete coloring books laying around with a plethora of coloring supplies. It got me thinking whether or not coloring has a positive impact on adults like it does in kids! It turns out that coloring can be extremely beneficial and therapeutic for adults.
It Can Reduce Stress and Anxiety
A lot of the marketing centered around adult coloring books actually focus on the fact that it takes away stress and makes you feel more calm. You can see on this coloring book, here, the name of the book is called “Color Me Calm.” Carl Jung, who some people believe to be the father of art therapy, has said: “Colors express the main psychic functions of man.” Coloring and even how we color it can deem how we feel. CNN reported: “According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is a mental health profession in which the process of making and creating artwork is used to “explore feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety and increase self-esteem.” So basically, it’s similar to good old therapy.” However, it’s not exactly the same since a therapist needs to be involved for art therapy. However, it has very similar benefits.
Improves Sleep and Focus
Just like reading for 20 minutes before bed, coloring can help us relax and do the same. It’s important to stay off your phone and away from the TV so that you’re able to settle down and naturally produce melatonin. Check out this article about more ways to improve your sleep without having to rely on electronics. It also stimulates multiple parts of our brain at once without worrying about overdrive about completing it. We know that we are doing it for fun, so in turn—makes it better.
Activates the Reward Center
When looking into art therapy, I saw an article from NPR and found this: “They measured blood flow to the brain’s reward center, the medial prefrontal cortex, in 26 participants as they completed three art activities: coloring in a mandala, doodling and drawing freely on a blank sheet of paper. And indeed — the researchers found an increase in blood flow to this part of the brain when the participants were making art.” Adding to this, they also see coloring and art in general to be beneficial to those who have addictive behaviors, eating disorders, or mood disorders.
Get Coloring!
You can find plenty of coloring options and sizes for both men and females! With back to school being recent, you can find plenty of coloring books and supplies in stores! If not, Amazon and even Etsy have printable items ready to be delivered straight to your home!
