To your average college student, the idea of returning to kindergarten sounds like a dream come true. Mandatory nap times, animal-shaped snacks and dress up sessions stand in stark contrast to the stress-laden, caffeine-addled, sleepless lives adulthood brings with it. Still, recent studies have suggested that a skill once relegated to kindergarten may be the secret to combatting the stress of adulthood. Coloring.
Coloring books for adults have become increasingly popular throughout the past year. These books have overtaken booksellers with gusto. Adult coloring books made up more than 13% of best-selling books during 2015, according to Publishers Weekly. These books currently occupy six of Amazon’s top 20 best sellers from the past week. Although this trend has been growing in Europe since 2011, these books exploded in popularity throughout the past year in the United States. Linked to lower levels of stress and anxiety, the process of coloring as an adult evokes a childlike sense of wonder and creativity, while improving adults overall mental health.
Although these books are undeniably whimsical they have been linked real results in reducing stress. Studies indicate that coloring brings an abundance of positive outcomes. Research has found the act of coloring to significantly reduce stress. Likewise, those who color report increased levels of mindfulness, meditation and lowered rates of anxiety. The process of coloring has been shown to induce a level of serenity often associated with meditation, allowing adults to focus on a simple, creative goal, taking a few minutes to abandon their daily stresses while reliving the joy of childhood.
Still, the elaborate nature of these books differentiates these mature coloring books from the ones you used as a child. These books often include intricate floral details, animals, vines, and mandalas. While most adult coloring books cost between five and ten dollars, the trend has become a major source of revenue for manufacturers. The books can be purchased anywhere from Urban Outfitters to Barnes and Noble. Even Walmart has begun offering coloring books marketed for adults.
As young adults, the comfort and ease of childhood has long since passed. Still we march forward, facing the trials of the grown up world head on. Armed with a colored pencil and a sense of determination, we can begin to make our ways in the world, improving our mental health all the while.
