Coloring Books Relieve Stress!
There are articles everywhere to support the premise that coloring books for adults help with not only stress relief but people with chronic pain
To figure out which types of books relieve stress for you is something you will find out on your journey through your first several pages or books. Choose a few free coloring book pages to print and try or browse through the Amazon
For some, sacred mandalas will be the best for them, for others random doodles or Zentangle-inspired designs will be the ticket or perhaps something that connects to a time when you were happy as a child or connects you with another passion or hobby. Our list of Coloring Books for Men is a good example of those with books about cars, planes, and insects, guys might find one that brings them joy. Are you a cat or dog lover? We have pre-screened Cat Lovers Coloring Books & Dog Lovers Coloring Books here. Super complicated books might be just the ticket for someone with a bit of an art background and need a bit more of a challenge to turn off their worrying brain and get into their artistic side so Johanna Basford’s Secret Garden
The top 10 Selling Anti-Stress Coloring Books for Adults on Amazon:
Confused about coloring supplies? Not a problem, check out our advice on Colored Pencils, Markers, and Gel Pens.
You may be running out of creative ways to keep yourself entertained, especially with this final stretch of social distancing. And if you’re feeling a bit more stressed and antsy than usual, it’s time to pick up a childhood favorite: coloring books.
“Coloring books have been shown to reduce stress and promote relaxation due to their inherent qualities, such as the ability to remain present and focused on the image and provide temporary relief from life stressors,” Martha Dorn of The Art Therapy Project, a nonprofit organization in New York that provides art therapy to trauma survivors, previously told Shop TODAY.
While Dorn noted that coloring books are not art therapy, she pointed out the therapeutic qualities of the books and their ability to help relieve stress. “Similarly, the images in coloring books are premade, so the creative energy is placed into the catharsis of repetitive coloring strokes to complete the image,” she explained.
To help ease your mind and help relieve stress during these trying times, we rounded up some of the best adult coloring books. Sit back, relax and enjoy a little creativity!
Best coloring books for adults
This book is full of soothing patterns and simple prints that you can mindlessly fill in without feeling overwhelmed by the intricacies of staggering designs offered in other books.
While we’re sure any coloring book can help alleviate stress, the designs in this one were designed to reduce stress. Just pick up your favorite colored pencils and enjoy!
This coloring book is a tad more R-rated, but sure to bring on some laughter. It’s filled with funny illustrations that include insults and yes, “bad” words.
If you’re less interested in laughing and more interested in self-soothing, this relaxing coloring book for adults is for you. Switch off and let your creativity loose in the flow of floral illustrations!
The next best thing to drinking coffee is coloring it! This book is perfect for coffee lovers — it’s filled with endless pages of arabica beans and coffee-related things. Sadly caffeine-free, this book is bound to calm you down when you need it.
What’s better than having a “Harry Potter” movie marathon? Relaxing with a “Harry Potter” coloring book while watching all of your favorite movies!
This adult coloring book by Johanna Basford, who is known for her intricate designs, will take you beneath the waves and deep into the ocean. Each page includes beautiful illustrations of exotic fish, coral reefs, barnacle-studded shipwrecks, pirate treasure and more.
Another creative and fun option from Basford is her classic Enchanted Forest coloring book. The whimsical adult coloring books is a fan-favorite due to its quality pages and beautiful prints.
This calming coloring book is chock-full of fun illustrations and “lovely images to set your imagination free.” You’ll feel relaxed and fresh in no time.
Although the title may seem family member-specific, this book is full of the “clean” versions of foul words that are sure to get a good chuckle out of you. Just grab your favorite coloring pens — and a glass of wine — and relax!
This adult coloring book is a perfect pick for animal lovers. It’s full of many intricate designs, so it might bode well to use this one if you have the time to dedicate to coloring in the lines.
For more stories like this, check out:
To discover more deals, shopping tips and budget-friendly product recommendations, download the new TODAY app and subscribe to our Stuff We Love newsletter!
This article was published on Aug. 2, 2019.
What used to be known as a simple, fun activity for kids now is a tool for practicing good mental health. Coloring has increased in popularity recently, especially for adults.
While children’s coloring books feature cartoon characters and simple designs, adult coloring books have intricate patterns of flowers, artwork, mandalas or animals. Books are available for purchase, and you can print free coloring pages online. For people who prefer a digital version, many coloring apps are available for mobile devices.
But what makes adult coloring so popular?
Coloring can improve your health by:
Promoting mindfulness
Coloring can help you be more mindful. Mindfulness is the ability to focus and stay in the moment.
For example, because you’re focusing on color choice and staying inside the lines, you’re only thinking about the present moment. You can shut off the noise around you, and give your mind the gift of focusing on the movements, sensations and emotions of your present moment.
Practice being nonjudgmental as you go through the task with no expectations — just being in the moment. If your mind wanders, which is normal, gently return to what you are experiencing right now. While coloring, you use the parts of your brain that enhance focus and concentration. It gives you the opportunity to disconnect from stressful thoughts.
Relieving stress
Coloring is a healthy way to relieve stress. It calms the brain and helps your body relax. This can improve sleep and fatigue while decreasing body aches, heart rate, respiration, and feelings of depression and anxiety.
Although coloring isn’t the ultimate cure for stress and anxiety, sitting down for a long coloring session holds great value. As you color, pay attention to your breathing rhythm, ensuring steady, full breaths from your diaphragm, and tune into your heart rate periodically if you can.
Embracing the imperfect
There’s no right or wrong way to color. Coloring is a noncompetitive activity, so there isn’t pressure to “level up,” win a prize or beat the clock. You can color for as long or as little time as you want. You don’t need to finish a picture in one sitting.
Try to let go of judgments or expectations and enjoy the simple beauty of coloring. It doesn’t matter if your picture is neat or messy. The only thing that matters is if you found enjoyment and relaxation while coloring.
Other ways to relieve stress
Some people don’t find coloring to be relaxing or enjoyable, especially those who didn’t like to color as a child. That’s OK.
Other fun ways to relieve stress include:
- Spend time with a four-legged friend.
It’s no secret that pets make us happy. Their love is unconditional, they are always happy to see us, and they’re adorable. Spend some quality time with a pet, or volunteer at an animal shelter if you don’t have pets of your own. - Crack open a book.
Reading is a great way to wind down. Like coloring, it helps you lose yourself in the moment and forget about your work or other stressors. - Massage your earlobes.
Massaging the pressure points in your earlobes brings on a calming, relaxing sensation over your body. Do this for a few minutes, and you may start to feel some relief. - Bust a move.
Breaking out your best dance moves along with your favorite song can be therapeutic for many people. If you’re dancing throughout most of the song, you also can say you snuck in some exercise. - Take a deep breath.
Deep breathing is a great way to reduce your body’s response to perceived threats. Breathe in through your nose for five seconds and hold for two seconds. Then release your breath through your mouth for five seconds.
Joel Bobby is a licensed independent clinical social worker in Psychiatry & Psychology in Austin, Minnesota.
