🧠 The week of Thanksgiving brings excitement, joy… and a whole lot of mental overload. Schedules shift. Routines disappear. Everyone is tired, overstimulated, and moving fast. That’s when overwhelm hits — for kids and adults.
Coloring is one of the simplest, most accessible tools to interrupt that stress cycle. And the science behind it is stronger than most people realize.
Below are research-backed reasons why coloring is such a powerful way to calm the brain during hectic holiday weeks.
🧠 1. Coloring lowers activity in the amygdala — the brain’s stress center.
Functional MRI studies show that focused, repetitive tasks (like coloring) reduce activity in the amygdala, the area responsible for fear, anxiety, and emotional overload.
When that activity decreases, your body naturally moves into a calmer state.
👉 In short: coloring physically signals your brain that the “threat” is gone.
🌬️ 2. Coloring slows your breathing and heart rate.
Coloring mimics the effects of mindfulness and meditation.
As you concentrate on small movements, your breath naturally deepens and your heart rate slows. This shift moves the nervous system out of fight-or-flight and into rest-and-reset mode.
This is why even 5 minutes of coloring can make the whole day feel lighter.
🎨3. Coloring engages the prefrontal cortex — improving focus during chaotic weeks.
The prefrontal cortex controls planning, decision-making, and emotional regulation — all things that get overloaded during holiday weeks.
Coloring gives this part of the brain a structured, low-pressure task.
This improves focus and makes it easier to handle everything else on your plate.
For kids, this can mean better behavior, smoother transitions, and clearer thinking.
❤️4. Coloring increases dopamine — the brain’s “feel-good” chemical.
Dopamine is tied to motivation, pleasure, and emotional balance.
Coloring boosts dopamine through:
• repetition
• creative expression
• sense of completion
• small, achievable progress
That’s why people often feel happier, more grounded, and more optimistic after a coloring break — even a short one.
👥5. Collaborative coloring reduces social stress and creates connection.
During holiday weeks, classrooms and families often feel chaotic or disconnected.
A shared poster brings people together around a calming and cooperative activity.
Research shows that shared creative tasks:
• lower social anxiety
• increase feelings of belonging
• improve communication
• promote group harmony
This is one of the reasons BrainBrake posters work so well in schools, teams, and families — the activity itself strengthens connection.
🌟6. Coloring gives kids and adults a sense of control during unpredictable weeks.
Holiday weeks disrupt routines and expectations.
Coloring gives the brain something predictable, safe, and structured.
That predictability helps regulate emotions, especially for kids who thrive on routine.
🎨 Final Thought
You don’t need hours to reset your brain this week.
You just need a few minutes of color — a tiny moment of calm in the middle of the noise.
A BrainBrake isn’t just an activity.
It’s a scientifically backed tool for emotional wellness, focus, connection, and calm — exactly what holiday weeks demand.