Looking for an alternative to doom scrolling? Then it’s time to put pen to paper in the form of coloring or doing a word search puzzle. These two analog hobbies will not only keep your hands busy, they both boast a ton of health benefits. Want to de-stress? Boost your mood? Improve brain function? While picking up one of these activity books is by no means a miracle cure, the good news is that they are low-cost (yes, please!), accessible habits that can support mental wellness. What’s more, the newest coloring and word search books feature a variety of pop culture stars and good vibes that will keep you coming back for more. So what are you waiting for? Put down your phone and get started with one of these adult activity books.
Color Your Way Calm
Just 15-20 minutes of coloring, three nights a week, is enough to ease tension built up over a stressful day. That’s because the practice of coloring can reduce mental noise and put you in a flow state thanks to its repetitive hand movements required. It also allows for a little creative control, while calming the nervous system. Here are a few more reasons to give coloring books for adults a try:
Coloring Benefits:
- Reduce stress and anxiety.
- Lower blood pressure.
- Find a creative outlet.
- Improve mindfulness.
- Distract from negativity or pain.
- Sleep better.
- Boost mood.
- Embrace the imperfect.
- Improve motor skills and vision.
- Enter a meditative state.
Tips & Tricks:
- Invest in a quality set of coloring tools, such as pencils, gel pens, crayons, or markers.
- Pick a coloring book based on your interests—nature, religion, astrology, pop culture … the subject matter is limitless.
- Choose a color palette before you start.
- Experiment with various coloring strokes, such as shading, blending, and cross-hatching.
- Don’t worry about finishing a scene all in one sitting.
- Don’t be afraid to color outside the lines.
From beloved big-screen characters to fantastical dreamscapes, not to mention glow-in-the-dark pages, adult coloring books are anything but child’s play. Here are a few of our favorite best-sellers:
Food for the Brain
Not only are they a great way to unwind and relax, word search books are an excellent hobby to adopt if you want to maintain mental sharpness as you get older. This kind of focused, repetitive activity can help improve skills used in everyday life, such as reading, driving, finding objects, and multitasking. You don’t have to overthink anything or stress about the outcome, just grab a writing tool and aim for 20 minutes per day.
Word Search Benefits:
- Increased attention span.
- Better reasoning.
- Improved memory.
- Improved visual scanning techniques.
- Pattern recognition.
- Vocabulary and spelling retention.
- Increased focus.
- Long-term brain health.
Tips & Tricks:
- Choose a word search book that speaks to you. At Thunder Bay Press, you’ll find themes of Americana and pop culture, and even large print word search books.
- Use a bright colored pen or marker so you can easily see your accomplishments.
- Cross out each word once you find it.
- Don’t worry about finishing a puzzle all at once.
Like modern-day coloring books, these new activity books are anything but boring. You can word search with Stars Hollow friends and the ever-chill painter Bob Ross, or even seek out words and phrases popularized by a favorite classic author.
