Coloring is an activity that we tend to associate with children. As
we grow older, we put aside our crayons and colored pencils in favor of
more respectable writing utensils like pens and highlighters. However,
it turns out coloring can be beneficial for adults -- namely for its
de-stressing power.
The practice generates wellness, quietness
and also stimulates brain areas related to motor skills, the senses and
creativity. In fact, publishers have lately been launching coloring books specifically for adults. The trend is alive and well in countries in Europe and North America. Most recently, in Spain, the publication Espasa published Coloréitor, with illustrations by well-known cartoonist Forges.
Does Coloring Really De-stress?
One of the
first psychologists to apply coloring as a relaxation technique was Carl
G. Jüng in the early 20th century. He did this through mandalas:
circular designs with concentric shapes similar to the Gothic churches’
rose windows. They have their origin in India.
When coloring, we activate different areas of our two cerebral hemispheres, says psychologist Gloria Martínez Ayala.
"The action involves both logic, by which we color forms, and
creativity, when mixing and matching colors. This incorporates the areas
of the cerebral cortex involved in vision and fine motor skills
[coordination necessary to make small, precise movements]. The
relaxation that it provides lowers the activity of the amygdala, a basic
part of our brain involved in controlling emotion that is affected by
stress."
In simplest terms, 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." This leads us immediately and unconsciously to welfare,
exposes the specialist.
Read full article: Huffington Post
Related article: Love in the Time of Coloring
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