Lots of us used to color as kids and… it made us happy. Current research by mental health experts suggests that it might make us adults happy too. Recently, psychologists found that coloring in or out of the lines helps unlock creative potential, and relieve tension and anxiety, something we have a whole lot of in this crazy unpredictable world of ours.
“I recommend it as a relaxation technique,” says Antoni Martinez, a psychologist. “We can use it to enter a more creative, freer state. I recommend it in a quiet environment, even with chill music. Let the color and lines flow.”
According to psychologist Gloria Martínez Ayala: “…coloring has a de-stressing effect because when we focus on a particular activity, we focus on it and not on our worries. But it also “brings out our imagination and takes us back to our childhood, a period in which we most certainly had a lot less stress.”
Need more reasons to start coloring?
1. Coloring helps you unwind.
Studies show that coloring helps clear your mind and center your thoughts to help you relax and de-stress. Focusing your attention on one calming activity can have a tremendous effect on your mood, energy levels, and how well you sleep.
2. Coloring stimulates your right brain and helps you think more clearly.
Research shows you have your best ideas when your right brain is stimulated. Coloring gets those creative juices flowing and helps you think outside the box (while trying to stay inside the lines).
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Daria Song is an author and artist with a master’s degree in fiber arts from the Ewha Womans University Graduate School of Fine Arts. Winner of the Kyung Hyang Arts Contest, Song has exhibited at numerous galleries and museums in Korea, Singapore, Turkey, and Hong Kong. She is a lecturer at the Kaywon School of Arts and her illustrations can be found in Amore Pacific and SK Planet. She spent five years of her childhood in San Francisco before returning to Korea, and the sense of wonder and mystery that comes from living in a far-off place inspired her internationally best-selling adult coloring book, The Time Garden.The Time Chamber and The Time Garden by Daria Song are now available.
