{"id":26425,"date":"2021-07-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-02T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/relaxing-coloring-books-for-adults\/"},"modified":"2023-06-15T15:58:59","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T15:58:59","slug":"relaxing-coloring-books-for-adults","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/relaxing-coloring-books-for-adults\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Relaxing Coloring Books to Help You Unwind Before Bed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Think back to your childhood. Can you picture yourself sitting at a table, happily coloring for hours on end?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although you may think you left that pleasant activity in childhood, more and more adults are turning to coloring books as a form of relaxation. And it turns out this activity can even translate to improved sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.haleyneidich.com\/\">Haley Neidich<\/a>,&nbsp;Tampa Bay-based licensed clinical social worker,&nbsp;believes heightened levels of stress for many in recent times have led to a return to coloring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWith all of the noise of being plugged in to our phones, social media, and the urge to feel that we are constantly available to others, coloring books allow for a return to the present moment,&#8221; she says. &#8220;Activities like coloring can feel like a mini-retreat from the multitasking and noise of our day-to-day life and can serve to help folks recharge when they need a break during the day or in the evening when it&#8217;s time to wind down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read on to discover more about this stress-relieving trend and find our picks for the most relaxing coloring books for adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-coloring-helps-you-sleep\">How coloring helps you sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Studies show coloring can&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/files.eric.ed.gov\/fulltext\/EJ688443.pdf\">help lower stress and anxiety<\/a>, both of which can interfere with sleep.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAdult coloring books relieve stress by supporting the individual in accessing a mindful state,&#8221; explains Neidich. &#8220;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/meditation-for-better-sleep\/\">Mindfulness<\/a>&nbsp;calms the nervous system through a sense of presence in each moment and allows folks to access their inner creative child.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All that stress relief, mindfulness, and returning to heartwarming childhood memories could even make for higher-quality sleep.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coloring is just one example of any relaxing activity that doesn\u2019t involve a screen\u2014something that\u2019s key when strengthening \u201cyour ability to access the rest and relaxation state that is so essential to entering a peaceful sleep,\u201d says Neidich.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She goes on to say that when you add&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/deep-breathing-exercises-for-sleep\/\">deep breathing<\/a>&nbsp;to the mix, \u201ccoloring can also offer a time to reflect on one\u2019s day and tap into any stress\u201d you\u2019re feeling in your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, does this mean you should add coloring to your nighttime routine?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople should absolutely try out coloring before bed to see if it&#8217;s something that might help them fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly,\u201d Neidich says. \u201cBoth using coloring books and free coloring are great ways to allow your mind to slow down and focus on something neutral and positive before bed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-relaxing-coloring-books-for-adults\">Relaxing coloring books for adults<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Coloring is something Neidich recommends to her clients\u2014and she\u2019s noticed there are some coloring books they particularly love. These coloring books include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.prismic.io\/saatva-blog\/b482ae75-ab6c-40a4-8e6d-9f35dd8e4358_relaxing-coloring-books-for-adults-positve-affirmations.jpg?auto=compress,format&amp;rect=0,0,1000,1047&amp;w=1000&amp;h=1047\" alt=\"positive affirmations adult coloring book\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Positive Affirmations Adult Coloring Book ($14.99,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/listing\/891233818\/positive-affirmations-adult-coloring?variation0=1838417972\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">etsy.com<\/a>):\u00a0<\/strong>Geared toward girls and women of color, this beautiful coloring book created by an Etsy seller and illustrator includes a wealth of fun, empowering positive affirmations, from \u201cyou deserve nice things\u201d to \u201cstand tall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.prismic.io\/saatva-blog\/87257471-61f2-4c35-8167-96b796de03c2_relaxing-coloring-books-for-adults-mindful-coloring.jpeg?auto=compress,format&amp;rect=0,0,1000,1405&amp;w=1000&amp;h=1405\" alt=\"mindfulness adult coloring book\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Mindfulness Coloring Book: Anti-Stress Art Therapy for Busy People ($10,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Mindfulness-Coloring-Book-Anti-Stress-Therapy\/dp\/1615192824\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">amazon.com<\/a>):\u00a0<\/strong>Strapped for time, but still want to squeeze in coloring each day? This adult coloring book is pocket-sized, so you can take it on the go. That means you can get your coloring on while you ride the subway, sit on the bus, or wait in line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.prismic.io\/saatva-blog\/02785832-bdf4-4e75-8a74-4a0f7fc7e328_relaxing-coloring-books-for-adults-art-of-mandala.jpeg?auto=compress,format&amp;rect=0,0,1000,1002&amp;w=1000&amp;h=1002\" alt=\"the art of mandala adult coloring book\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Art of Mandala ($4.99,&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Art-Mandala-Coloring-Featuring-Beautiful\/dp\/1944845119\/\">amazon.com<\/a>):&nbsp;<\/strong>Depicted throughout the centuries, mandalas are geometric designs that are not only beautiful to look at but are also soothing to color. This coloring book has 50 mandalas with intricate patterns, resulting in several relaxing hours of tranquil coloring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The bottom line: \u201cColoring can be nostalgic for folks and bring them back to positive, quiet moments in their childhood,&#8221; says Neidich. &#8220;For folks with positive associations, this can bring about a sense of safety and peace and remind them of a simpler time in which they didn&#8217;t have the responsibilities of adulthood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>For more ways to unwind before bed, we put together this list of&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/10-nighttime-activities-help-relax\/\">nighttime activities to help you relax<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Studies show coloring before bed can help you sleep better. Here are the best adult coloring books for relaxation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":26426,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[389,390],"tags":[],"coauthors":[418],"guest":[],"host":[],"class_list":["post-26425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sleep-health","category-sleep-tips"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/70"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26425"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26425\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26425"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=26425"},{"taxonomy":"guest","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guest?post=26425"},{"taxonomy":"host","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/host?post=26425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}