Doodling Is a Fun Way to Pass The Time Without Realizing It
Doodling is more than just a cherished pass-time. With proven health and wellness benefits, doodling is a great way to unwind from stressful days. From the depths of the unconscious mind, beautiful drawings emerge without any tangible or scientific explanation. While the roots of doodling remain a mystery, it is safe to say that doodling pre-dates the earliest known writings. From the cave eras to the hyper-pixelated modern times, doodles remain a part of humanity's collective creativity and have stood the test of time. While many would consider doodling to be the work of a child, the process of drawing while in a completely relaxed state has drawn the attention of psychologists and disease prevention specialists alike for good reason. Do you doodle? Maybe you should give it a shot sometime.
What Makes a Person Doodle?
Every person has creative energy just waiting to be released. Factors like a stressful job or boredom often lead to inner tension, so finding a useful outlet for expression is imperative. Outlets like doodling are one of the best ways to release all of this bottled up energy. When lost in the beauty of a thoughtless drawing, the mind is free to explore naturally.
The world as we know it has been designed by left-brain individuals that prefer efficiency and productivity over expression and ingenuity. Perhaps doodling is one of humanity's best tools to counteract this unnaturally data-driven environment. Similar to entering into a meditative state, doodling provides a realistic escape route that brings the mind back into alignment. While in the trance of a doodling session, reduced stress and elevated mood is evident. Beyond the stress relieving factors, there are other proven benefits such as:
- Enhanced recall
- Improved focus
- Heightened intelligence
- Disease prevention
Doodling has also been shown to increase blood flow to the brain. While in a relaxed state, the heart doesn't need to work as hard and the blood vessels dilate. It's easy to see why people suffering from conditions like epilepsy (seizures can be triggered during stressful events) benefit from calming practices like doodling.
When the mind is at ease, new information is absorbed rapidly and compartmentalized efficiently. The relaxed state of a doodler is very similar to the brain processes observed during the restorative phases of sleep. During the healing and resting phases of the sleep cycle, our brains sort through and process the overwhelming amounts of information received throughout the day. All of this happens unconsciously, yet, this process is extremely necessary for healthy brain development. These impactful health benefits could very well explain why people love to doodle without even realizing it!
Digital Doodling
Thanks to the latest digital creation platforms, taking doodles to the next level has never been easier. Doodling programs installed on work computers or mobile devices provide access to recalibrate throughout a busy day. Taking five minutes to unwind with casual doodling after a stressful meeting or a long commute home can refresh the mind. WIth a wide variety of different brushes, pencils and pens included with the programs listed below, what started out as a doodle may just end up in a gallery someday.
There are plenty of exciting applications to get started depending on the type of device used. Many of the digital doodling softwares offer cross platform functionality, so releasing the inner artist while at home or on-the-go is the new reality. Here is a list of top digital doodling software that are worth a look:
- Procreate
- Adobe Illustrator/Drawer
- Autodesk Sketchbook
- Astropad Studio
- Affinity Designer
- Inspire Pro
- ZenBrush 2
- MediBang Paint
Each of these softwares are perfect for releasing the inner doodles. No matter which platform is used, the benefits of doodling are without a doubt worth adding into the daily routine. When something as simple as relaxing while scribbling can improve so many aspects of life, why not give it a try. After checking out some of these innovative softwares, pull out that stylus and get scribbling!
