How do you relieve stress? Do you take the time to relax and chill out? Some of us eat our feelings away, others practice yoga or go for a long run, while some do deep breathing exercises. As a nation, we can't seem to wind down, slow down, unplug, or just take a moment and stop. We are go-go-go 24/7 and relaxing is never on our to-do lists. Unfortunately, this can lead to a ton of stress when you don't take the time to relax, which in turn, can lead to headaches, anxiety, a lowered immune system, and even heart problems. Surprisingly, adults everywhere are turning coloring as a way of relaxing during their busy lives. They're even throwing their very own adult coloring parties!

Surprised? Coloring isn't just for kids anymore. This hot trend is all over the news, and coloring books for adults are even topping bestseller lists. So how does coloring actually help you destress? In an article by Huffington Post, psychologist Gloria Martínez Ayala reports that we activate different areas of our two cerebral hemispheres when we color. "The action involves both logic, by which we color forms, and creativity, when mixing and matching colors. This incorporates the areas of the cerebral cortex involved in vision and fine motor skills [coordination necessary to make small, precise movements] . The relaxation that it provides lowers the activity of the amygdala, a basic part of our brain involved in controlling emotion that is affected by stress." See? Coloring actually does work to relax us.

Coloring doesn't need to be a solitary activity if you don't want it to be. Another way adults are getting creative and destressing is by throwing coloring parties, complete with wine, cheese, the works. Do you feel like you need a night to unwind and reconnect with friends? It would be easy to throw your own adult coloring party. Colorama is a wonderful book to relax and unwind with, plus it comes with colored pencils. Order a few of these, get some beverages and snacks, and invite your pals over for a night of coloring and talking. Coloring is a great way to get creative when you don't feel particularly artistic, and it provides a great feeling of accomplishment when you have a beautiful finished picture in front of you.

So grab your markers, crayons, color pencils, and your pals and have a party. We promise you'll feel happy and relaxed afterwards.