5 Good Things About Adult Coloring

Many people associate coloring and coloring books with young children. Many people stop using colored pencils and crayons and switch to fancier writing tools such as pens and highlighters. As it turns out, using crayons and colored pencils and coloring can be beneficial to adults in one way or another. For one, coloring comes in handy in relieving stress.

One thing you need to know about coloring is that it promotes quietness and wellness and also stimulates the brain. Coloring stimulates your mind, thus improving one's creativity, motor skills, and senses. There are plenty of adult coloring books on the market, with publishers creating more books for adults. This has been the trend in North America and Europe, with more countries, such as Spain, taking the trend. This article will discuss six reasons why coloring is as beneficial to adults as it is to young children.

1Stops The Flow Of Negative Thoughts

Coloring demands a great deal of concentration, a factor known to help the brain push negative thoughts and attributes away and pave the way for pleasant ones. This is because you have to focus on the edges, shape, and size and pick the best color. While it may sound like an easy task, coloring engages both hemispheres of the brain, thus making it hard for anxiety and stress to creep in. This is the reason why most people tend to get "lost" in their head while coloring.

As mentioned earlier, coloring makes it hard for colorists to continue with their inner dialogue. This is because the colorist is deeply engaged in the activity that all the person is thinking about is the task alone. This blocks the flow of negative emotions and thoughts into the brain; hence, one ends up feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Coloring also allows one to be mindful and self-aware. It prevents one from worrying about past decisions that might have affected him/her and instead commit to the present.

2Keeps Stress And Anxiety At Bay

Thousands of people have attested to seeing a positive impact ever since they took on coloring. This can be seen from the thousands of reviews on online stores, social media, and news stories that coloring book companies get from their customers. To some, this may seem like a cheap stunt to con unsuspecting people, not until one sees the reviews or tries it in person. Coloring geometric patterns and mandalas are good examples of adult coloring activities that help lower anxiety and stress levels.

Coloring engages a sense of meditation as one goes along with the coloring exercise. These shapes and patterns have an intricate design and structure that forces one into deep meditation as the mind juggles between what shape to color and the right color to use. The adult coloring is a lot different from what a kid's coloring project is. Studies show that adult coloring books can be too complicated for most children and often overwhelming. This is, however, essential since the idea is to engage the adult's full-brain activity.

3Handy And Convenient

If you have been a victim of a delayed flight or were stuck at some place, you understand what boredom is. With the wake of smartphones and other handheld devices, killing boredom might be within your fingertips. These electronic devices, however, do not provide a safe way to relax. This is where coloring books come in. You can use coloring books to help you relax and pass the time without any worries.

Coloring can be done on the go. This is unlike most hobbies that can only be done at a specific place. The only items a colorist needs are the coloring books and tools needed to make it possible. The book fits well in a backpack or travel case without taking much of your space. They also provide an excellent way to stay organized while on the road; repacking the pencils is relatively easy, too.

4Calms The Mind

Coloring can also be taken as a form of meditation. Colorists attest to entering a state of mental relaxation where everything else fades away. This blocks all negative energies from the brain, which leaves you feeling relaxed at the end of the day. The fact that coloring helps the brain "zone out" and relax is proof enough that you can use it as a way to fight stress and depression.

Adult coloring helps improve one's ability to concentrate on the task at hand. This enables the brain to filter out any stressors he/she might be experiencing, thus lowering brain activity. Coloring entails paying particular attention to detail and repetition, which amplifies your focus while reducing activity in the amygdala. This is the part of the brain responsible for the fight or flight response.

5Elicits Happy Feelings

No particular skill is required to take on adult coloring. The only requirement (which most adults already have) is the ability to stay in between the lines. Although you might have never colored before, you are already accustomed to staying in between the lines. The flow comes in naturally as soon as you pick the colored pencil and start working on the mandalas or geometric patterns.

There are no real consequences of messing up the coloring exercise because each stroke takes you to the next, revealing an incredible achievement. Many attest to feeling a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment as soon as they are finished with the product. This is one of the reasons many continue coloring days or even years after they first took onto the hobby. Even a first-timer will get a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction as soon as he/she is done with the first product. This is followed by a wave of happy feeling and positivity which drives many people to start a new coloring venture.

Anyone can take on adult coloring and enjoy the benefits that come with it; it can be refreshing seeing or looking at projects or pieces you have already completed, and the activity leaves you feeling relaxed and refreshed. You don’t need special hardware or skills to take on the hobby, and it can be done at home, while on the go, and in your office. If you're feeling stressed out and looking for a fun way to get rid of negative thoughts, you might want to consider coloring. These are just a few proven benefits that you, too, can take advantage of through adult coloring. You can learn more about this and advance the art of coloring to bring out perfect masterpieces.