By Lyndsay Fogarty
Coloring isn’t only for kids.
In the past several years,
adults have gone wild for
coloring books, too. Whether it’s to
jump start the morning over a cup
of coffee or to wind down over a
glass of wine at night, the over-18
crowd is armed with colored pencils,
gel pens, markers — any tool that
will get the job done.
What’s the job you ask? The
adult coloring trend blossomed as
a way to relieve stress. It’s not necessarily
about going back to your
childhood but instead is about finding
a way to forget about the world
for a little while and create.
The benefits go beyond stress
relief as well. It is said that coloring
calms the brain, bringing you
into a meditative state that can
50 Central Florida Lifestyle | September 2019
work wonders on the human body.
It can enhance an individual’s ability
to focus by opening up the
frontal lobe, an area of the brain
responsible for organization and
problem solving. In turn, focusing
on coloring inside the lines on
each intricate area of a page can
improve motor skills and stimulate
the brain, which is especially therapeutic
for dementia patients.
Coloring can also help you
sleep better at night, and it’s not just
because you’re more calm and stressfree.
When you adopt coloring as a
bedtime habit instead of watching
TV, working on a laptop or scrolling
through social media on your
phone, you’re avoiding exposure to
light that could interrupt your sleep
patterns. The artificial blue light
emitted by electronic devices suppresses
the release of melatonin and
delays your body’s internal clock.
While coloring is often an individual
activity, some choose to go
to meet-ups where they can color
together in a group setting. The Orange
County Library System hosts
adult coloring events from time to
time. They are meant for people ages
18 and up.
A Creative Coloring for
Adults event is currently scheduled
for one Monday a month through
the end of the year at the library’s
Hiawassee branch. All supplies will
be provided, but guests are welcome
to bring their own favorite
colored pencils or markers. Check
the OCLS website for more details
and a full schedule.
+ Arts & Entertainment
Keep Calm and
Color On
Get your colored pencils ready for an adult
coloring session to relieve stress.