Arts and Creativity Editor Laura Molloy discusses mindfulness colouring, and the benefits for students and their mental wellbeing.
Winter has arrived, and exam season is quickly approaching for most college students. It’s normal to start to feel overwhelmed or stressed as deadlines start to pile up and revision for exams takes over. To avoid this, it is important to take time out for yourself and your mental health.
Doing simple activities such as exercising, going for a walk, watching an episode of your favourite show, or listening to music are all great ways to destress. However, in recent years people have been doing more creative activities for relaxation. A popular choice is mindfulness colouring.
Mindfulness colouring started to become popular around ten years ago, and its popularity has remained over the years. Many related products continue to be popular today as the ‘mindfulness movement’ continues to grow.
For those interested in exploring mindfulness colouring, there are many options to choose from. Specific colouring books that are filled with detailed and elaborate designs are sold in most bookshops, or you can simply download free templates from the internet.
It is a great choice for students because of its accessibility. Colouring books are easy to bring on the go and students can decide how long they want to spend doing it, making it easy to incorporate into a student’s busy schedule and study breaks. Mindfulness colouring can be done anywhere; at home, in libraries, coffee shops, or even while commuting on buses and trains.
According to several studies, it has proven that colouring can help reduce anxiety and depression. It can also help with sleep and fatigue.
You also don’t have to purchase a dedicated colouring book for the activity. There are countless free colouring prints you can download. If you are reluctant to print off sheets of paper, you could also consider using digital tools to do your colouring. Either way, it can be a very cost-effective activity.
You may be wondering how colouring helps your mind and mental health? Is this just another trend or does it really have benefits? According to several studies, it has proven that colouring can help reduce anxiety and depression. It can also help with sleep and fatigue.
When you are colouring, you are concentrating on colouring in the lines which can improve your focus and attention.
The repetitive action of colouring is able to soothe feelings of fear and anxiety. It induces the same state as meditating by reducing the thoughts of a restless mind. This generates mindfulness and quietness, which allows your mind to get some rest after a long day at work or studying for exams. Colouring requires you to focus, but not so much that it’s stressful. It also allows you to put everything else aside and live in the moment, generating focus.
Participating in creative activities such as mindfulness colouring are much healthier options for relieving stress.
It is a great alternative to unwinding in front of the TV or scrolling through social media. Despite the temporary stress relief they might offer, both of these can have a negative effect on concentration, focus and attention span. They have also been proven to increase levels of depression and anxiety, and worsen young people’s overall mental health. Participating in creative activities such as mindfulness colouring are much healthier options for relieving stress. The time spent colouring is time that you are not exposed to blue light which is also of great benefit to your sleep.
Mindfulness colouring is also an easy mindful activity to build into your daily routines. If you don't want to bring your supplies to the library with you, try carving out fifteen minutes in the morning before you leave for the day. Alternatively, if you find yourself rushing out the door most mornings, then try and settle down in the evening for a short session instead.
Besides the mental benefits mindfulness colouring has, it’s also a great way to tap into your creativity. If you’re looking for a simple creative hobby, this might be a good option for you. Let go of the ideas of perfection and talent; colouring needs neither. Simply relax and see where colouring takes you.
If you’re looking for colouring books by an Irish designer, consider trying The Mindfulness Colouring Book by Emma Farrons. It’s filled with beautiful patterns and squiggles waiting to be filled with colour. The book is sold in most local bookshops such as Dubray and Eason.
Mindfulness colouring has many benefits for students, and anyone who is looking to start incorporating mindfulness activities into their routines. While it can help tackle some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improve sleep health and concentration levels, it is by no means a solution to all problems.
If you are a UCD student that is struggling this exam season, please avail of the supports on offer. Contact your tutors, student advisors, or the UCD counselling services if you require support during this stressful time.