Adult coloring books have been having a moment. A trendy take on the childhood classic, they are filled with whimsical scenes of landscapes and gardens or interconnected geometric patterns rather than the old cartoon characters. And while picking up some colored pencils and trying to stay inside the lines (or not, no judgment!) may feel a bit juvenile, art therapy is actually a well-regarded treatment style. Of course, sitting at your desk coloring isn't quite the same thing as working with a licensed art therapist, but you can still reap some major benefits from a good old-fashioned coloring session.

In fact, one study found that mindfulness-guided mandala coloring decreased anxiety in participants. And in another study, students who colored a pattern, rather than free-drawing, saw greater improvements in anxiety as well. Study authors hypothesized that "the complexity and structure of the plaid and mandala designs drew the participants into a meditative-like state that helped reduce their anxiety."

And the next big thing in coloring might be tracing. This stripped-back version of coloring offers another way to focus on a specific task, tapping into mindfulness. You can try it for yourself in the new 72-page workbook Trace by Baron Fig and Kyle T. Webster. As co-founder Joey Cofone explains, "Tracing and coloring fall into similar categories. They're both passive mind activities that help one relax by providing a simple set of directives."

Maybe it is the nostalgia of spending worry-free childhood days with crayons in hand that makes it so calming, but Cofone has another theory, adding, "The act of tracing engages a different part of the mind. It doesn't require active thinking but, rather, passive thinking in which our busy thought-centers are allowed to take a break."So sharpen those colored pencils, and start creating; you might just sharpen your mindfulness skills at the same time.

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4 Ways To Practice Active Meditation If You Can't Sit Still - mindbodygreen.com