There is a new mantra among strung out women looking to de-stress from the daily pressures of juggling work and family life – colouring for adults. Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest have become hotspots for sharing colouring art. Additionally, dedicated online forums and Facebook groups provide spaces for discussion, advice, and encouragement within the colouring community. This is not about crayons and cartoons. The boom is being attributed to a modern preoccupation with nostalgia, and the growing need to relax.
In 2024 , there is a noticeable surge in colouring books focused on mindfulness and meditation. This beloved activity continues to adapt and thrive in our fast-paced, digitally driven world. Patterns such as mandalas, zen tangles, and nature inspired designs are popular. The intricate details require a level of concentration that aids in anchoring the mind in the present moment, effectively turning colouring into a meditative practise.
Adult colouring books offer more than just a nostalgic nod to childhood, they provide a myriad of benefits that contribute to our overall well-being. We live in a stress inducing culture where individuals are always seeking for ways to reduce tension and restore feelings of well-being. In a study published in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, researchers evaluated the anxiety levels of a group of undergraduate students after colouring a complex geometric design, like a mandala. The results showed a decrease in anxiety levels for the students that participated in colouring, and suggested the practice created a sort of meditative state. Colouring relieves stress, boosts concentration and creativity, enhances mindfulness, and improves social interaction.
According to Sara Powell, an art psychotherapist working at the Art Therapy International Centre in Dubai, colouring can help to alter brainwaves. When we’re alert and attentive, with the brain engaging in decision making and problem solving, it operates using beta brainwaves. Precisely what’s needed when you need to think on your feet. But, beta brainwaves require a great deal of mental energy and the brain cannot continue to effectively function in that mode. Almost like a car engine that overheats if you continually rev it! Keeping the brain in high gear puts it under unsustainable pressure. You must shift down a gear for the brain to use alpha brainwaves. If you were to get someone who predominantly operates in beta mode to start colouring in, and at the same time attach them to an EEG machine to record brain activity, you will very soon notice that these all important alpha brainwaves take over causing breathing and heart rate to slow down.
Colouring books for adults have become a trend, and unlike some fads, this one is actually really good for you. Workaholics use it as a “mental power nap” to ease insomnia, anxiety and depression.
Being able to live in the moment is a critical skill in our demanding world. Much like crossword puzzles, colouring in is therapeutic and may delay, or prevent the onset of dementia in older individuals.
Happy colouring!
Source: mayoclinichealthsystem.org, raspiee.com, webmd.com, files.eric.ed.gov, klearminds.com, bustle.com, thenational.ae, foxnews.com, theguardian.com, dailymail.co.uk, timeslive.co.za
