Coloring books have seen an explosion in sales this year, with Johanna Basford's Secret Garden taking the No. 1 position in the bestseller rankings. The advertisement said that the book helps you relax, but the question is, do coloring books really help with stress relief?
In a way we can say yes, but this is very relative. Today, we live in an extremely hectic society, especially for people who live in big cities where having a moment of peace is very rare. Traffic, noise and excessive work make us completely stressed. We also have electronic devices that interfere with our concentration, often not allowing us to focus on a single activity and end up leading to mental exhaustion.
It is in this context that we can consider coloring books as an interesting way to reduce stress. Coloring is an art, attractive to children, adults, the elderly. When we color, we mainly associate the feeling of the phase we were in elementary school. It's like being a child again, that's why it has attracted so many young people and adults, people who are living the moments in life where there are more stressful activities.
The aesthetics contained in these books are exciting, and when coloring them we have the feeling of pleasure in seeing the beauty of the drawing gaining color. The details that are perceived after painting and the feeling of an artistic work made sharpen the nervous system and give us immense pleasure.
However, it is important to remember that the book is not therapy. No studies have proven this fact, that is, we cannot expect a cure for stress. It is also necessary to understand that not all people see coloring as a form of anti-stress. The book can be conceived as a hobby, coloring to clear the mind, calm down, have an introspective moment and, depending on how you look at it, fun.
Text written by Giulia Machiaveli from the Eu Sem Fronteiras Team.
