Adults Turn to Coloring Books for Relaxation and More

6 Reasons You Should Color

In 2013, Johanna Basford of Scotland struggled to find a publisher who would pick up her coloring book for adults called Secret Garden. When she finally landed a publisher, they printed just 16,000 copies. Today, Basford’s adult coloring books hold two of the top selling spots on Amazon.com. Her Secret Garden has sold over 6 million copies![1]

Why this sudden craze of adults wanting to color? Psychologists and others who are trying to understand this phenomenon have come up with several compelling reasons for coloring—as an adult.

Let’s investigate some of the motivations and benefits behind the adult coloring rage.

1. Coloring provides creative expression.

Somewhere along the line of our development, we’ve all had opportunity to gauge the level of our artistic abilities. Also, while those abilities may lie in one area of expression such as cooking, woodworking, jewelry making, or pottery, they may be nearly absent when it comes to drawing.

Valentina Harper, in her adult coloring book, Creative Coloring Flowers, explains: “I made this book so that you can use your imagination to fill it with all the vibrant tones of the rainbow! Using whatever medium you like—from markers to watercolors to colored pencils to gel pens to crayons—you can take these delightful drawings into a new world of color.”

Clearly, selecting a medium, colors, patterns, etc. are all creative functions. We were born to be creative and imaginative, but as soon as we entered school, they drilled us to conform. At the age of five a child is still using 80 percent of their potential. But by age 12, creative function has dropped to about 2 percent and hovers there throughout our adult lives.[2]

Coloring offers nearly any adult the opportunity for creative expression.

2. Coloring is relaxing.

I have to admit, when my wife recently requested a coloring book for her birthday, I was a bit taken aback. Since then she takes time to color each week. I asked her why she enjoys it so much and without any forethought she responded, “It’s so relaxing.”

Apparently, countless other adults agree with her. Our lives have become so stressful, hectic and noisy. Coloring offers people a chance to withdraw from all that in a wholesome and constructive way and simply relax.

Many of the coloring options feature a wide spectrum of repetitive designs. Once one has chosen a color within a particular design, the tactile motion of stroking in the color with a physical medium, staying in the lines, and creating something truly beautiful is very relaxing.

• Pinterest

3. Coloring helps one focus.

Coloring has been compared with meditation and other cognitive skills geared toward helping us concentrate. Neurologist Stan Rodski comments, “Like meditation, coloring allows us to switch off our brains from other thoughts and focus on the moment.”[3]Graduate students at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass, have discovered that coloring during a lecture actually helps them concentrate better on what’s being said. The mindless, repetitive act of coloring helps them focus on the moment.[4]

4. Coloring offers easy access to anyone.

Filling in a coloring book requires very little financial outlay and no training. Nearly anyone can pick up a book, find their favorite medium and start coloring. How easy is that?

If you haven’t tried coloring and would like to start, download the coloring book image to the right by clicking HERE. (Available to Home Cures That Work Community Members only.)

5. Coloring is therapeutic.

Due to many of the reasons stated above, psychologists and art therapists are finding coloring to work therapeutic wonders among cancer patients and other people suffering from a wide variety of physical and emotional trauma.While monitoring the vital functions of patients as they color, scientists have noted changes in heart rate and brain waves. And Dr. Joel Pearson, a brain scientist at the University of New South Wales, Australia, explains, “Concentrating on coloring an image may facilitate the replacement of negative thoughts and images with pleasant ones.”[5]

While many therapists are skeptical about the claims of coloring, “If you ask any colorist, they’re going to tell you that it’s therapeutic,” says Cari Schofield. Cari, a 38-year-old woman with epilepsy, has found coloring to be extremely therapeutic.[6]

6. Coloring is fun!

No one is forcing colorists (adults who color) to color. They do it because it’s fun, relaxing and rewarding. Some have begun coloring parties in order to socialize, enjoy a glass of wine and color together. Anytime we can engage others in an activity like this, we magnify its fun factor.

Sources for Coloring

Order a book online, go to your local book store and browse through the adult coloring books to find one or more that you like. We’ve also listed some websites below that you may find helpful. Many of these downloads are free!

• Home Cures That Work Community Members free download image of a butterfly
• Johanna Basford’s Secret Garden
• Good Vibes Coloring Book
• http://parade.com/409706/parade/free-download-coloring-pages-from-popular-adult-coloring-books/
• http://www.coloring-pages-adults.com
• http://www.thecountrychiccottage.net/2015/07/25-free-adult-coloring-pages.html
• http://www.easypeasyandfun.com/free-coloring-pages-for-adults/ 
• http://www.art-is-fun.com/coloring/
• http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/

How about you? In what ways would you enjoy coloring? Why not pick up a coloring book today and try it. You may be surprised at how fun, relaxing and therapeutic it is.

If you liked this article, then you’ll love these:

• The Art of Using Essential Oils
• Rita Hayworth: Creative Arts and Imagination Through The End
• 5 Steps to Lower Your Anxiety Now

Sources:
[1] Katie Couric, “Inside the Adult Coloring Book Craze,” Yahoo News, September 2, 2015, https://www.yahoo.com/katiecouric/inside-the-adult-coloring-book-craze-by-robin-128189184208.html.
[2] Creating Minds, “Age and Creativity,” nd, http://creatingminds.org/articles/age.htm.
[3] Dana Dovey, “The Therapeutic Science of Adult Coloring Books: How This Childhood Pastime Helps Adults Relieve Stress,” Medical
Daily, October 8, 2015, http://www.medicaldaily.com/therapeutic-science-adult-coloring-books-how-childhood-pastime-helps-adults
relieve-356280.
[4] Dana Dovey.
[5] Dana Dovey.
[6] Heather Schwedel, “Coloring Books for Adults: We Asked Therapists for Their Opinions,” The Guardian, August 17, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/17/coloring-books-adults-therapists-opinions.