Anxiety is one of the most common mental health issues, affecting over 40 million adults in the United States alone. While medication and therapy are often used to treat anxiety, many people also turn to alternative methods like coloring for relief. In recent years, adult coloring books have soared in popularity as a way to de-stress. But is there any scientific evidence that coloring can actually help reduce anxiety? Let’s take a look at what research has found so far.
How Coloring May Reduce Anxiety
Coloring requires focus and attention, which can help distract from anxious thoughts. The repetitive motions involved in coloring, similar to knitting or drawing, have been linked to lowered heart rates and reduced muscle tension. Coloring also allows you to express creativity and feel a sense of accomplishment when finishing a page, boosting mood. Some experts believe coloring elicits a meditative state, helping to lower the stress hormone cortisol. The act of choosing colors and patterns may also contribute to a feeling of mindfulness and presence.
Studies on Coloring and Anxiety
While coloring is increasingly recommended for anxiety relief, what does the research say? Several small studies have found coloring can reduce anxiety levels:
| Study | Methods | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Curry & Kasser (2005) | 84 college students colored a mandala for 20 minutes or drew freely. Anxiety levels were measured before and after. | Anxiety decreased in both mandala coloring and free drawing groups compared to controls. |
| Vennet & Serice (2012) | 39 graduate students colored a plaid form for 20 minutes or colored a blank piece of paper. Anxiety was measured. | The structured plaid coloring group showed greater anxiety reduction than the unstructured group. |
| Flett et al. (2017) | 50 adults with self-reported anxiety colored abstract symmetrical forms or blank paper for 20 minutes. | After coloring the symmetrical forms, anxiety levels decreased significantly more than in the unstructured coloring group. |
These studies indicate that structured coloring of geometric or symmetrical designs may help lower anxiety more effectively than unstructured coloring. The meditative repetition involved in filling in shapes appears to induce a calm state. However, both structured and unstructured coloring reduced anxiety levels more than control conditions, suggesting any coloring is better than none.
How Coloring Compares to Other Anxiety Treatments
Coloring appears to provide some anxiety relief, but how does it compare to more traditional treatments? A few studies have directly compared coloring to other interventions:
| Study | Methods | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Sandmire et al. (2016) | 74 adults colored a mandala, did free-form coloring, or underwent a progressive muscle relaxation for 20 minutes. | The muscle relaxation reduced anxiety levels significantly more than both types of coloring. |
| Carsley et al. (2015) | 46 nursing students underwent a 20-minute coloring or mindfulness meditation session during class. | The mindfulness meditation group showed significantly greater anxiety reduction than the coloring group. |
| van der Vennet & Serice (2012) | 42 students colored mandalas or listened to a mindfulness relaxation recording for 20 minutes. | The mandala coloring and mindfulness relaxation groups showed similar anxiety reduction. |
These studies indicate coloring may not reduce anxiety as much as progressive muscle relaxation or mindfulness meditation. However, in one study it was as effective as a guided mindfulness recording at lowering anxiety. More research is still needed comparing coloring to established anxiety treatments.
Long-Term Effects on Anxiety Levels
Most studies have only examined the short-term effects of a single coloring session. Very little research has looked at whether regular coloring could help manage anxiety over time. One study followed anxiety levels in coloring book groups over 4 weeks:
| Study | Methods | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Clark & Semple (2018) | 42 adults with anxiety colored in a coloring book for 20 minutes per day for 4 weeks. Anxiety levels were measured at baseline and after the intervention. | After 4 weeks, the coloring group showed significantly lower anxiety levels compared to baseline. |
This indicates daily coloring sessions may help reduce anxiety over a longer period. More longitudinal studies are still needed to confirm these results.
Coloring for Different Types of Anxiety
Could coloring impact some types of anxiety more than others? Here’s what researchers have found regarding different anxiety conditions:
| Study | Methods | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Curry & Kasser (2005) | Tested whether a 20-minute mandala coloring session could reduce exam anxiety levels in college students. | Students who colored showed significantly greater exam anxiety reduction than controls. |
| Mantella et al. (2019) | Measured the effects of a 20-minute coloring session on anxiety in 88 inpatients receiving mental health treatment. | Coloring significantly reduced anxiety levels in patients with generalized anxiety disorder and OCD, but not PTSD. |
| Fassino et al. (2020) | Analyzed anxiety levels in eating disorder inpatients after structured coloring vs. free-form coloring sessions. | The structured coloring group showed greater anxiety reduction, especially those with anorexia nervosa. |
This preliminary research indicates coloring may be particularly helpful for short-term situational anxiety, like test taking. It also appears effective for generalized anxiety and OCD. More studies are still needed on coloring for anxiety disorders like PTSD.
Coloring Format: Books vs. Sheets
Do structured coloring books or free-form coloring sheets offer more anxiety relief? Here’s what the research says:
| Study | Methods | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Curry & Kasser (2005) | Compared anxiety levels in students after coloring a free-form doodle page vs. a symmetrical mandala design. | The mandala coloring group showed significantly greater anxiety reduction than the free-form group. |
| Eaton & Tieber (2017) | 44 adults colored in a coloring book or on blank paper for 20 minutes. Anxiety levels were compared. | The coloring book group reported greater reductions in anxiety than the blank paper group. |
These findings indicate structured coloring books with symmetrical designs or patterns may alleviate anxiety more than free-form coloring pages. The repetitive process of filling in shapes seems to promote focus and a meditative state.
Digital vs. Paper-based Coloring
In addition to traditional paper coloring books, digital coloring apps and programs have also gained popularity. But is one format more effective for anxiety?
| Study | Methods | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Stinley et al. (2018) | 61 students colored identical images either on paper or an iPad app for 20 minutes. | The paper coloring group reported significantly greater anxiety reduction than the iPad group. |
| S photographer et al. (2020) | 128 adults with anxiety disorders used a paper or digital coloring book daily for 4 weeks. | Both groups showed anxiety reduction, but there was no significant difference between digital and paper formats. |
Research remains mixed on whether digital and paper coloring differ in their anxiety benefits. The physical experience of paper coloring may provide greater stress relief for some. However, both formats appear helpful for managing anxiety.
Optimal Coloring Duration
How much time coloring is needed to reduce anxiety? Studies testing different durations have found:
| Study | Methods | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Van Der Vennet & Serice (2012) | Compared state anxiety levels in students after coloring mandalas for 5, 10, or 20 minutes. | Anxiety levels steadily decreased during the coloring. However, there was no significant difference between the three time durations. |
| Thomson et al. (2015) | 98 hospitalized patients colored mandalas for 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes. | All durations significantly reduced anxiety compared to controls. But 15 minutes resulted in the greatest anxiety reduction overall. |
Research to date indicates coloring durations between 5-20 minutes can help decrease anxiety, with benefits appearing within 5 minutes. One study found 15 minutes may be optimal, but more research on timing is still needed.
Conclusion
In summary, current studies provide preliminary evidence that coloring can help reduce short-term anxiety levels. The repetitive, focused nature of coloring appears to elicit a meditative state that lowers stress and anxiety. Structured coloring books and symmetrical designs may work better than free-form coloring. Daily coloring sessions may also help manage anxiety over time. While more research is still needed, coloring shows promise as an accessible, low-cost intervention for anxiety relief.
