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Relieve Stress With an Adult Coloring Book

Unwind with this fun, do-anywhere activity

By

Staying Sharp

Updated June 14, 2024

Updated June 14, 2024

Multi-colored pencil points on vibrant background

Adrienne Bresnahan/Getty Images

Quick Win

Reap the anxiety-reducing benefits of coloring — no artistic ability required!

Try This Today

Buy an adult coloring book the next time you’re at the store, or shop for one online. You can also download and print free mandala coloring pages from websites like MondayMandala.com. Then, gather some crayons, markers, colored pencils or colorful pens and get coloring!
Try sitting down to color the next time you feel stressed. It’s also a great way to pass the time while waiting at the vet, the auto shop or your health care provider’s office.

Why

Adult coloring books became a trend back in 2015: A whopping 12 million were sold that year. It’s easy to see why they’re still popular: Coloring books are portable, they don’t require you to have any artistic skill and they can help ease anxiety. In a study of 88 adults ages 18 to 65 with generalized anxiety disorder, those who colored in a coloring book five times a week in addition to receiving conventional treatment (antianxiety medication and physical therapy) appeared to have significantly less anxiety after three weeks than those who only did conventional treatment. The study was published in 2022 in Animal Models and Experimental Medicine.

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Legal Disclaimer: Staying Sharp, including all content and features, is offered for informational purposes and to educate users on brain health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. Staying Sharp is based on a holistic, lifestyle approach to brain health that encourages users to incorporate into their daily lives activities that are associated with general wellness. Nothing in the service should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Features including the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins, Additional Tests, exercises, and challenges assess performance at a particular moment in time on certain discrete cognitive tasks. Staying Sharp games are intended for entertainment and recreational purposes only. Various factors may affect performance, including sleep, tiredness, focus, and other social, environmental, or emotional factors. Performance is not indicative of cognitive health and not predictive of future performance or medical conditions.

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