(Published 2023 August)
Remember how much fun you had coloring when you were young? It’s time to pull out those crayons and colored pencils because coloring isn’t just for kids. Adult coloring books are a little more intricate than the simple designs and cartoon characters in your child’s books, but mental health experts say they are a good mental health tool.
This is why:
- Coloring alleviates stress. This practice calms the busy in your brain and helps your body relax. It has the added value of improving sleep and fatigue while decreasing anxiety, body aches, depression, heart rate, and respiration. Coloring by numbers won’t cure all your stress, but sitting for a lengthy session holds enormous value.
- Coloring can help you be more mindful. This means being present. While you're focusing on color options and staying inside the lines, you're thinking about this moment. You shut off the outside noise and think about movements, sensations, and emotions you’re experiencing now. When your mind wanders, gently nudge it back to what you are experiencing this moment. While coloring, you use the parts of your brain that enhance focus and concentration. This lets you disconnect from stressful thoughts.
- Coloring helps you embrace your imperfections. There's no right or wrong way to color. It’s not a competitive activity, so you don’t need to beat the clock, try to win a prize, or make your picture pretty. What matters is finding enjoyment while you color.
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