Steve Spring shares the benefits of this popular pastime.
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Coloring for adults has become the latest trend. Coloring books seem to be flying off bookstore shelves as more and more people discover the joy of coloring. Coloring apps are also growing in popularity, and Adult Coloring seems to be everywhere this holiday season.
When my wife started bringing home bags of coloring books and art supplies, I decided that I needed to learn more about this new adult coloring fad. As I started to investigate it, I found that this fad, unlike many other fads, might be good for you.
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This fad, unlike many other fads, might be good for you.
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If you haven’t tried adult coloring yet, then this article is for you. It outlines the five key benefits of coloring. Hopefully, it will convince you to go out and get some coloring supplies, and try it out for yourself.
1. It Will Help You Combat Anxiety
Doctors have known about the health benefits of coloring since the early 1900s. Psychiatrist Carl Jung, the founder of analytical psychology, used to prescribe coloring to his patients to help them combat anxiety. Today’s doctors continue to follow Jung’s lead and prescribe mandala coloring books to help their patients combat anxiety.
2. It Will Help You Relax
Giving your amygdala periodic rests actually reduces your stress overall. Clinical psychologist Ben Michaelis says that, coloring is a centering activity, that relaxes the amygdala (fear center of the brain) and allows you to relax. Giving your amygdala, periodic rests actually reduces your overall stress even after you have finished coloring.
3. It Will Help Focus Your Mind
Being able to focus is a key skill in today’s increasingly demanding world, and coloring trains you to put everything else aside for the hour you spend doing it. Clinical counselor Leslie Marshall notes that adult coloring “focuses the mind.”
4. It Will Help Improve Your Fine Motor Skills
Coloring requires improves your fine motor skills and vision. The “action involves both logic, by which we color forms, and creativity, when mixing and matching colors,” says psychologist Gloria Martínez Ayala. Coloring may even delay or prevent the onset of dementia in older adults.
5. It Will Help Improve Your Sleep
There are few daily activities that can improve your life as much as getting a good night’s sleep. Exposure to the blue light emitted from your electronic devices disrupts your circadian rhythm and contributes to insomnia. Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible for most of us to stop using our electronics at night, and evening electronics use significantly increases our risk of insomnia. Coloring is a relaxing, electronic-free way to spend a little time before turning out the lights that won’t disturb your sleep.
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Coloring is a relaxing, electronic-free way to spend a little time before turning out the lights that won’t disturb your sleep.
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Hopefully, these five reasons will convince you to take up some colored pencils or crayons and get to work, so you can find out all about that pleasure for yourself.
If you are interested in learning more about adult coloring, I have created a resource checklist to help you get started coloring today. Get “The 10 (Dirt Cheap) Tools That Will Help You Get Started Coloring Today!” here.
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Photo: Flickr/Kate Ter Haar
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