The adult coloring book trend is a widespread and enduringly popular one. It’s not just some fashion trend, or internet meme, or dietary fad that took the whole world by storm overnight. It is a random discovery that became a legitimate hit amongst an unlikely audience.

“Coloring books are for kids!” some may say, but that’s a thing of the past now. In this day and age, it is generally accepted that a fully-grown adult can own a coloring book and use it during his or her spare time. No one is even questioning it anymore. And that’s because it is actually very effective in terms of relieving stress. That’s why many people love it: they are stressed out and want a hassle-free hobby that would help them through it. They buy an adult coloring book and they end up loving it. That’s how it works.

And now that we’ve come to know the various benefits of using an adult coloring book, recent studies suggest that there is more to it than just being a recreational activity. It suggests that adults who color are actually smarter than the regular person who doesn’t.

Here are a couple of reasons why adults who use coloring books are possibly smarter than those who don’t.

They Have Better Hand-Eye Coordination

Hand-eye coordination is the ability to move your hands (and arms) as precisely as you intend to. That’s why seeing something and doing something are two very different things. You may aim for a certain target, but your hands may not be able to deliver the exact results.

People who use adult coloring books are forced to concentrate on the tiny details of the intricate drawings, so that they don’t go outside the lines. These pre-drawn images are far more complicated than your regular children’s coloring book, so it takes a lot of hand-eye coordination to come up with a pretty result. Adults generally have better control over their hands compared to children, but people who practice regularly with coloring books are far more trained in the art of hand-eye coordination.

This allows them to do regular tasks more accurately, therefore making them “physically” smarter.

They Exercise Both Sides of the Brain

The left side of the brain is more focused on logical thinking, while the right side is primarily concerned with creative thinking. When you color, you use both sides in perfect harmony in order to create beautiful images.

Yes, some may argue that you are not being fully creative because you are only coloring in what somebody else has drawn. But it also takes a great deal of imagination to choose the right colors that would go well with one another. Some people even go for a non-conventional way of filling in these pages, so it’s not as limited as you may think.

It takes logical reasoning to figure out which pattern you would like to make, and which of those delicate lines will represent which part of the pattern consistently. When you use both sides of the brain in unison, you are exercising your mental abilities.

They Are Better Problem Solvers

Problem-solving isn’t the primary focus of adult coloring. It was designed as a stress-free activity after all. But problem-solving is there anyway. Adults who color have been shown to handle difficult life choices in a much more straight-forward manner.

They Have Clearer Minds

The very purpose of adult coloring books is so that you can relax and lose yourself in the tranquil moment. Because of this, adults who color are generally less likely to over-think. Their brains have been trained to handle things in a more focused way. They know how to put away all their anxieties, even just for a moment, in order to come up with a good solution.

If you have a clear head, you’ll be thinking straighter than the rest of the population who have too much on their plates. This is similar to having a relaxed mind. It will be more likely to come up with a good answer, because it is not over-stretching its capabilities.

We suggest trying out adult coloring books. There is literally no downside to it, and you’ll also be smarter than all of your friends.