If you would like to know the reason why adults participate in an activity that many people assume is just for children, then a short introduction is needed. When you don't know what the fundamentals are in the trend of adult coloring, it can cause you to believe that it isn't a hobby that you would want to get involved in, but you might be pleasantly surprised. This article will provide you with the basic information that you need to know about adult coloring and will provide you with an explanation of the benefits and teach you how to get started with it.
In this article, you will be learning about the sleep-enhancing and stress relieving benefits that coloring provides, along with the mental health improvement it stimulates. In addition, you will be learning about specific studies that have been used to demonstrate the effects that coloring has on the human brain, along with why coloring is such a convenient and unique activity compared to many others, and much more. After you have read the article, you will have all of the necessary information to decide whether coloring is something that you want to do or not.
1Leads To Better Sleep And Less Stress
People who love to color state that coloring makes them feel more relaxed, happier, mentally clearer, and calmer. When "colorists," as they refer to themselves, are participating in their hobby, they say their worries all fade away temporarily. That isn't too surprising if you consider the fact that all kinds of arts and crafts have the ability to focus the brain in ways that are similar to meditation. For example, a major study on knitters found that 80% of depressed people felt happier whenever they were knitting. And although coloring might have appeared to be childish in the past, coloring has been cleverly marketed as being an acceptable adult activity by book publishers.
2Promotes Better Mental Health
The American Art Therapy Association states that art therapy is a type of mental health professional that involves the process of creating and making an artwork to reconcile emotional conflicts, explore feelings, manage addictions and behavior. It also helps to foster self-awareness, improve reality orientation, develop social skills, increase self-esteem, and reduce anxiety. It is similar basically to regular therapy.
However, it is very important to the fact that making use of adult coloring books isn't exactly the same thing as undergoing an art therapy session. Actual coloring cannot be referred to as art therapy since art therapy is based on the relationship between the therapist and the client. And although art therapy was initially practiced during the 1940s, the earliest research on coloring being used as therapy is thought to have only started in the mid-1990s.
3Coloring Is Convenient In A Unique Way
One of the reasons why adult coloring books have enjoyed so much success is due to the fact that they provide a simple creative outlet. Coloring books, unlike some other types of craft projects, are easy to transport and affordable, which makes them the perfect artistic activity that you can do practically anywhere. However, as a practice, coloring offers an ideal balance between structure and freedom. For people who spend the majority of their day on their feet, the most appealing type of stress relief is not always exercise. Instead, coloring could be used by the person as an alternative way to relax after a long, hard day.
4Adult Coloring Is Backed By Research
The University of the West of England conducted research that showed that when coloring is taken up, it can help to improve creativity and reduce stress in adults. One study involved 47 first-year undergraduates (with 26 of them being female) who attended a session where they were asked to participate in coloring and reading. They completed different psychological tests at the beginning of the session and after they took part in each of the activities.
Some participants colored first, while others read first. The reading was comprised of a chapter about study skills, and the coloring task was to color a mandala in. It was found by the researchers that after they colored for 20 minutes, the participants reported that they felt more calm, energetic, and content than after they read. Also, they reported having higher mindfulness levels (focused on what is occurring in the present) and increased flow ('in the zone'). All of the findings showed statistical significance, whether they read or colored first.
5Getting Started With Coloring Is Easy
ColoringBooks.net recommends that instead of using crayons, adults should skip them and go directly to colored pencils (in terms of tuning in, precision is everything). Crayola has a comprehensive guide showing how your tools can be taken up a notch. This can be done by blending colors, adding lowlights and highlights, and shading your new masterpieces.
A new adult coloring book collection called "Coloring Escapes," colored pencils, and a set of markers have been launched by the famous crayon company. And although the first adult coloring books that were commercially successful were published in 2012-2013, this formerly niche hobby has developed into a complete trend. Everybody from Yoga Journal editors to Johns Hopkins University researchers recommends coloring as a meditation alternative.
Coloring is not an activity for only kids any longer. It is an activity for adults that is socially acceptable nowadays. Coloring is an enjoyable way of relieving stress and can offer a welcome rest from electronic devices. You have learned in this article that there is legitimate research that backs it up, that getting started with coloring is easy, and that coloring results in improved mental health, better sleep, and stress relief.
There has not been a lot of research conducted on the mental health benefits that coloring provides; however, a couple of studies have indicated that coloring is promising for treating post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and stress, particularly when mandalas, which have intricate patterns, are used. In this article, we have provided you with a brief introduction to the adult coloring concept, shed light on how stress is reduced by adult coloring, and discussed the distinctions between actual art therapy and coloring. Now that you are aware of this information, you should understand adult coloring better, and you can consider now if you would like to take up coloring yourself.
Kristen Johnson, a resident of Danbury, Connecticut, is a high school guidance counselor and has two children. In an effort to find a calming activity for her kids, Kristy and her mom Milly stumbled across one that works for adults, too - coloring!
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