Creative activities help us take a step back from the daily grind, engage our brains in a different way and relax. Painting by numbers, geometric mandalas or just drawing: painting with colors is almost like meditation and has a relaxing effect.
Coloring with colored pencils can help, especially when you are restless and stressed. Scientists at the University of Erlangen have investigated how an artistic activity such as drawing affects the brain. They found that people look inwards when they paint. The “artist” is more concerned with himself or herself – and that helps with stress management. Painting makes you more mindful and more in the moment. Even 45 minutes of painting can help reduce stress hormones. A similar effect can also be achieved by baking. Art therapy shows that art, like singing, can have a calming, anxiety-relieving and healing effect, as the scientific magazine Scinexx reports. You can find even more exciting health topics in our free newsletter, which you can subscribe to right here.