Coloring

My kids and I ended up staying at Hayley's an extra day, while my husband had to come home for work. The second either of my kids has money they instantly have to spend it! Emma lost a tooth and had $2 from the tooth fairy and my grandpa gave Brax $1 because he got an award at school for the most improved student. So we took the kids to the $1 store so they could spend their money. Hayley got herself an adult coloring book. I told her how I am hooked on those too! After feeding the kids lunch we sat down and colored (actually we painted in them). We got to my house late, put the kids to bed and resumed our painting. Then Hayley asked, "What is it that makes these a stress relief?".

I had never actually thought about it. I had to think for a minute. My theory was that it essentially clears your mind, gives you one thing to focus on and relieves any stressful thoughts you might have. Even if you feel like there are a million things going through your mind at once, there really isn't. Only one thought can go through your mind at a time. They are just going so fast it seems like there are millions of them! So when you sit down and give your mind the task to focus on coloring it doesn't get clouded with any other thoughts that might be negative or stressful! 

Even thought my theory seemed legit I decided to research it and see why it really does. 

I came across this article (here) and loved it!

To sum it up:

"Researchers have acknowledged the therapeutic qualities of art for years, and today, art therapy is used to help people express themselves when what they’re feeling is too difficult to put into words.

"One 2006 study, for example, found that mindfulness art therapy for women with cancer helped to
significantly decrease symptoms of physical and emotional distress during treatment.

"Art therapy is also helpful among people dealing with a variety of other conditions, such as depression, dementia, anxiety, and PTSD.

“A lot of my fellow graduate classmates bring these coloring books into the classroom setting as a tool to focus more on lectures” -I have found that coloring during church helps me focus and pay better attention!

"And considering the inability to focus is often a symptom of anxiety or stress, it only makes sense that adult coloring books would also help with those as well. Dr. Stan Rodski, a neuropsychologist who also happens to be the author of his own line of adult coloring books, says that coloring elicits a relaxing mindset, similar to what you would achieve through meditation. Like mediation, coloring allows us to switch off our brains from other thoughts and focus on the moment. Tasks with predictable results, such as coloring or knitting, can often be calming"

"Dr. Joel Pearson, a brain scientist at the University of New South Wales in Australia presented a different explanation for the therapeutic effect: Concentrating on coloring an image may facilitate the replacement of negative thoughts and images with pleasant ones."

“You have to look at the shape and size, you have to look at the edges, and you have to pick a color,” Pearson told Nine MSN. “It should occupy the same parts of the brain that stops any anxiety-related mental imagery happening as well. ... Anything that helps you control your attention is going to help.”

*** I am going to be doing another giveaway soon! It may or may not include several coloring books and colored pencils! Stay tuned!!!