Commitment + Clinical Leadership = Better Outcomes

Does your older loved one enjoy being creative? Coloring is a great activity for seniors because they can express themselves for a few hours. Many people enjoy coloring because it gives them a chance to use their imagination while reliving their childhood.

There are many coloring book options, from books with floral pictures to cute animal designs to intricate mandalas. Some coloring books have complex designs while others have simple lines to color between. This makes coloring an activity accessible to people of all interests and skill levels.

Here are some health benefits of coloring to help you encourage your loved one to get creative today!

Relieve Stress and Anxiety

Coloring is proven to help reduce stress and anxiety. When someone colors, they’re refocusing their mind on a creative activity and channeling their energy into making something new. Coloring can help someone relax and forget about their daily stressors.

One study about coloring mandalas found that those who colored reported reduced stress and anxiety. The study also found that coloring within lines is more beneficial than free form coloring, with participants who colored a mandala reporting less overall anxiety than those who colored on a blank sheet of paper.¹

Some people will use coloring as a form of art therapy to explore their thoughts and feelings. Art therapy involves a therapist using creative outlets such as coloring to guide someone through their mental health journey. Many people who struggle with anxiety or emotional trauma have found art therapy to be an outlet to help cope with their stress.²

Improves Your Sleep

Coloring is a great activity for your loved one to do in the evening before bedtime because it can improve their sleep. Coloring can relax their brain, which can help prepare them for a good night’s rest.

Another reason why your loved one should color before going to bed is it is a better activity than scrolling through a phone or watching television at night. Electronics emit blue light, which affects our alertness and circadian rhythm.³

Exposure to blue light late at night can reduce the amount of melatonin, a sleep hormone, which can throw off the natural sleep cycle. Activities such as coloring can help your loved one reduce their exposure to blue light at night and help them sleep better.

Improves Fine Motor Skills

Coloring can improve your senior loved one’s fine motor skills. Coloring involves many fine motor skills, including:⁴

• Hand-eye coordination
• Tool use
• Sensory processing
• Creativity
• Self confidence
• Task identification
• Color matching
• Color coordination

As seniors age, they become prone to dementia and Alzheimer’s, but keeping their different brain regions active can help protect against these conditions. Coloring can be a great way for seniors to maintain an active, healthy mind!

Improves Focus

When your loved one colors, they’re focusing on finishing a task where they color something in its entirety. Their brain might take steps to complete the picture, such as putting the things you color in an order so they don’t miss a spot.

Coloring has been found to open up the brain’s frontal lobe, a piece of the brain that assists with problem-solving and organizing. This part of the brain will also play a role in task management, which impacts focus.⁵

Because coloring involves the brain’s full attention, this can help your loved one improve their ability to focus on tasks over time.

Promotes Meditation

Some people will use coloring as a way to meditate because it calms the brain. Meditation usually involves slowing your breathing and focusing on clearing your mind or thinking about a specific thing.

When it comes to coloring, there is evidence that a person’s heart rate slows and the brain chemistry changes to promote relaxation. According to Dr. Rodski, the elements of repetition, pattern, and detail found in the activity of coloring have a calming effect on the body.⁶

There are many health benefits of meditation, from lower blood pressure levels to improved memory retention. Teaching your loved one to use coloring as a form of meditation can help them relax and find a way to calm their brain in the evening time.⁷

Helps with Mindfulness

Coloring is an activity where the brain must be active and engaged in the moment. This makes coloring a great activity to promote mindfulness, which is the concept of thinking in the present rather than ruminating on the past or future.

Coloring, as well as other activities that require being in the moment, is a great way to help an older adult clear their mind. This can be especially beneficial for someone who tends to find themselves stuck thinking about events that happened or may happen. As a result, mindfulness from coloring can help someone forget their fears and worries for a few hours.

How to Help Your Older Loved One Get Into Coloring

If you’re interested in introducing a senior loved one to the idea of coloring, here are a few ways you can encourage them to pick up the hobby:

• Buy them coloring books on topics they are interested in. For example, if your loved one likes flowers, find a coloring book that is floral themed.
• Purchase them new coloring supplies such as crayons, markers, colored pencils, and glitter. You can find fun arts and crafts supplies that can encourage your loved one to explore their creativity.
• Find a senior art class where your loved one can get creative and color with fellow seniors in the community.
• Find ways to bring the fun of coloring with you and your loved one to different settings, such as coffee shops or the park. There are many portable coloring books and ways to carry coloring supplies to different locations to get a change in scenery.

Get A Senior Loved One to Color Today

Now that you’re aware of the health benefits of coloring, share them with your loved one and ask if they’re interested in trying the hobby. Coloring can be a fun new avenue for your loved one to explore in their free time!

Here at Saber Healthcare, our Life Enrichment department works to provide fun, creative activities to keep our residents engaged. Some activities our teams work to involve our residents in include arts, crafts, painting, writing, music, and dancing. To learn more about our company and the services we offer, click here.

Saber Healthcare is an organization dedicated to providing consultant services to long-term care providers. This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to be seen as professional advice. Please consult with a medical expert before relying on the information provided.

Sources

1. Nancy Curry and Tim Casser. “Can Coloring Mandalas Reduce Anxiety?” Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association. Accessed 14 July 2022. Link: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ688443.pdf
2. “What is Art Therapy?” Saber Healthcare Group. 13 February 2022. Accessed 14 July 2022. Link: https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/about-art-therapy
3. “How Blue Light Affects Your Sleep.” Saber Healthcare Group. 18 March 2021. Accessed 14 July 2022. Link: https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/how-blue-light-affects-your-sleep
4. “The Many Benefits of Coloring with Crayons.” The OT Toolbox. 15 December 2020. Accessed 14 July 2022. Link: https://www.theottoolbox.com/benefits-of-coloring-with-crayons-fine-motor-visual-perception/#:~:text=Coloring%20with%20crayons%20is%20a,skills%20develop%20by%20more%20coloring.
5. “Health Benefits of Coloring for Adults.” Beaumont. Accessed 14 July 2022. Link: https://www.beaumont.org/health-wellness/blogs/health-benefits-of-coloring-for-adults#:~:text=Coloring%20requires%20you%20to%20focus,in%20the%20moment%2C%20generating%20focus.
6. “AMAZING BENEFITS OF COLORING FOR ADULTS.” ColorIt. 5 February 2016. Accessed 14 July 2022. Link: https://www.colorit.com/blogs/news/85320388-amazing-benefits-of-coloring-for-adults
7. "4 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Regular Meditation." Saber Healthcare Group. 27 Jul 2021. Accessed 14 July 2022. Link: https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/health-benefits-of-meditation