The Healing Strokes of Doodling: Unlocking the Inner Artist for Health and Relaxation

Doodles may be meaningless, used as a memory aid, provide stress relief, or be symbolic of our feelings and thoughts at a moment in time. Doodling is easy and fun; everyone at every age can doodle. It’s an anytime, anywhere therapy to express our inner creativity. Psychology expert Professor Jackie Andrade from the University of Plymouth in the UK conducted a fascinating study. To everyone's amazement, the doodlers outperformed their daydreaming counterparts, recalling 29% more information. Beyond its creative facade, doodling offers a valuable means of self-expression and provides a looking glass into the intricate realm of your personality and state of mind. Doodling steps into the spotlight as a therapeutic escape from the pressures of daily life, evoking a relaxation response with its rhythmic and repetitive embrace. Potential benefits of doodling also include mood regulation and helping to manage addictive behaviors related to prolonged indoor activities, like binge-watching and excessive device usage.

Researchers from Drexel University in the US conducted a study in 2017 where they examined brain activation in individuals engaging in three different forms of creative self-expression: coloring, doodling, and free drawing. Among these activities, doodling, in particular, was found to activate the brain's reward pathways. As a result, the researchers concluded that engaging in artmaking, including doodling, could serve as a method to regulate mood and potentially mitigate addictive behaviors. Doodling can also benefit those with a neurodevelopmental issue, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). An article posted on Psychology Today, an American website focused on the behavioral sciences, titled “How Doodling Helps Kids With ADHD to Focus,” suggests that doodling may be an activity capable of transitioning the brain from the DMN, a state of daydreaming, to the TPN, a state of focused attention, in children with ADHD. So grab those pens and let your imagination run wild.