Colour for Calm Contest for National Colouring Day!

I'm very excited to announce that I will be celebrating National Colouring  Day  this year by partnering up with Healthline in their Colour  for Calm contest! The  contest is meant to shine a light on mental health by promoting the therapeutic  effects of colouring  for stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health  conditions.     Starting on August 2nd, you can participate in the contest by ​downloading one of  four colouring pages​. Simply colour, snap a pic, and tag ​@colourwithclaire  and @Healthline on ​Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter​ to be considered!   US RESIDENTS ONLY

Check Out The Official Contest Page   

If you’d like to learn more about how drawing, colouring, and creating can make a  positive impact on mental health, read on! 
 
 
The Health Benefits of Art 

Research shows that drawing, colouring, and other fine motor activities help to  activate the parasympathetic nervous system and calm the fight or flight response,  easing stress and unleashing creativity. ​Studies suggest​ that painting pictures,  making music, sewing skirts, or creating cakes can have the following positive  benefits for mental health.    A study called “​The Influence of Art Making on Anxiety: A Pilot Study​” suggests  that a little time working on art can significantly reduce a person’s state of anxiety.  Another study​ indicates that art allows people to forget about their condition for a  while, allowing them to focus on the positive things in their life. Being wholly  focused on a craft project can have an effect similar to meditation, which ​research  suggests can help in the management of anxiety and depression. 

Increased happiness 
Dopamine is a chemical associated with the reward centre   in your brain. Among  other things, it provides feelings of enjoyment to help you start or continue doing  certain activities. A ​study​ published in the Archives of General Psychiatry suggests  that people with depression are lacking in dopamine. Crafting is a non-medicinal  way to stimulate dopamine, which ultimately makes you feel happy. In a ​study of  3,500 knitters​, researchers found that 81 percent of knitters with depression  perceived that knitting made them feel happier. 

More and more, research like the above is indicating that art, crafts, and colouring  are an effective tool for promoting happiness and overall well-being.  
If you’re ready to give it a try, check out Healthline’s coloring pages and  
Get   ​Colouring​!