Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

Stress Reduction

Coloring Books for Adults? Mandalas? Stress Relievers?

Coloring books for adults and mandalas are seen everywhere, at the checkout lines, bookstores, websites, newsstands…everywhere. In fact in 2015, sixteen coloring books for adults and mandalas were among Amazon’s top-selling books.  These books surpassed the works of authors like Harper Lee and Steven Covey (Amazon.com, 2016). The interest in coloring for adults has exploded […]

WRITTEN BY: Yvette Graham, LISW-S, Program Specialist, Ohio Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), graham.697@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Korrin Vanderhoof, LISW, Reseach Associate, Ohio Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program, vanderhoof.11@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Yvette Graham, LISW-S

SOURCES:

  • Amazon.com. (2016). Amazon's Best Sellers of 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2016, from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/2015/books
  • Curry, N. K. (2005). Can Coloring Mandalas Reduce Anxiety? Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 81-84.
  • Katz, B. (2015, November 15). Women in the World. Retrieved January 25, 2016, from New York Times: http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2015/11/05/meet-the-woman-behind-a-surprising-new-way-to-relax/
  • Perruzza, K. (2010). Creative arts occupations in therapeutic practice: A review of the literature. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 261-268.
  • Riley, C. M. (2013). The benefits of knitting for personal and social wellbeing in adulthood. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 50-58.
  • Sandy, L. (2016, January 25). Psychiatric Department Manager. (Y. Graham, Interviewer)

Find Your Own Healthy Way to De-Stress

Stress has been identified as significantly impacting our mental and physical health for decades(PDF)Links to a PDF document.. In fact, the American Psychological Association’s (APA’s) surveys on American stress show that 4 major factors  are consistently reported as major causes of stress: money, work, family, and health. It is important to be aware of stress factors, but also our […]

WRITTEN BY: Shawna Hite, Healthy People Program Specialist

REVIEWED BY: Pat Holmes, Extension Educator, Montgomery County

SOURCES:

  • American Heart Association (July 2014). Four ways to deal with stress: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/StressManagement/FourWaystoDealWithStress/Four-Ways-to-Deal-with-Stress_UCM_307996_Article.jsp#.VpVIH_krLIU
  • American Psychological Assocation (2010). Managing stress for a healthy family: http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/managing-stress.aspx
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (October 2015). Coping with stress: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/coping_with_stress_tips.html
  • Harvard Health Publications (January 2015). Relaxation techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress response: http://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-quell-errant-stress-response
  • OSU Extension, Live Smart Ohio (2015). MIndful Extension: http://livesmartohio.osu.edu/mindful-extension/

REFERENCES:

  • Anderson, N., Belar, C., Breckler, S., Nordal K., Ballard D., Bufka, L.,... Wiggins, K., ( February 2015). Stress in America: Paying with our health. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2014/stress-report.pdf
  • Countryside Recreation Network. (2006) A Countryside for Health and Wellbeing: The Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Green Exercise [Online]. Available from: http://www.thehealthwell.info/node/3900 [Accessed: 14th January 2016].
  • Jacubowski, A., Abeln, V., Vogt, T., Yi, B., Choukèr, A., Fomina, E., & ... Schneider, S. (2015). The impact of long-term confinement and exercise on central and peripheral stress markers. Physiology & Behavior, 152(Pt A), 106-111. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.09.017
  • Ozbeyli, D., Gokalp, A. G., Koral, T., Ocal, O. Y., Dogan, B., Akakin, D., & ... Kasimay, O. (2015). Protective effect of exercise and sildenafil on acute stress and cognitive function. Physiology & Behavior, 151230-237. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.07.030
  • Schneiderman, N., Ironson, G., & Siegel, S. D. (2005). Stress and health: psychological, behavioral, and biological determinants. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 1, 607.
  • Vella, E. J., Milligan, B., & Bennett, J. L. (2013). Participation in outdoor recreation program predicts improved psychosocial well-being among veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: A pilot study. Military Medicine, 178(3), 254-260. doi:10.7205/MILMED-D-12-00308- Nature/ the outdoors/ being outside may aid in dealing with stressful situations
  • Watson, D., & Pennebaker, J. W. (1989). Health complaints, stress, and distress: exploring the central role of negative affectivity. Psychological review, 96(2), 234
  • Westlund, S. (2015). 'Becoming human again': Exploring connections between nature and recovery from stress and post-traumatic distress. Work: Journal Of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation, 50(1), 161-174.
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com.proxy.lib.ohiostate.edu/science/article/pii/S0031938415300445

Where’s your fun?

Stop what you are doing right now and close your eyes. Take 5 deep breaths, slowly breath in and out. Now, do you feel a little better? I’m sitting at my desk wondering how to get it all done before leaving on vacation. The “to do” list is long, the packing of the camper hasn’t […]

Simplify and Reduce Your Stress!

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify. By simplifying various areas of your life, you may find that your stress level is reduced. Let’s talk about two areas where you can simplify your life: • Entertaining • Gardening Simplify your Holiday or Event! Every year we have a July 4th party to celebrate Independence Day with our family and […]

REVIEWED BY: Shannon Carter, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Fairfield County, Heart of Ohio EERA, carter.413@osu.edu

My Stress Less and Enjoy More Journey

My mindfulness journey began in 2011 when I found myself continuing a practice I started in college; I put together a monthly list of things I had to “get through” by month’s end. In college it was papers, exams and presentations; at my last job it was presentations, court hearings and dictation. At home it […]

Tips to Reduce the Stress of Traveling!

If you are like many people traveling is stressful. We are out of our comfort zone. There is uncertainty and often we are on a tight time schedule. Is my bag too heavy? Will I have a smooth check in? Is my plane delayed or cancelled? Is weather a factor? Does air travel add another […]

REVIEWED BY: Susan Zies, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, zies.1@osu.edu

Footer

Need Assistance?

If you are having issues logging into the site, need assistance with updates, or need to request an alternate format please send an email to the EHE Service Desk at servicedesk@ehe.osu.edu stating the nature of your issue and we will assist you. Thank you.
Are you a Live Smart Ohio Author? Log in here!

Follow us!