Life gets chaotic. Work deadlines, bedtime routines, and the endless scroll—little wonder you feel at the edge-of-your-seat all day. But what if 5 minutes of mindful art could pull you back to calm?

Enter the LightGuide Artboard, a bedside tool that combines guided tracing and watercolor painting—no talent required. Here’s why it works—fast.

🧠 Science-Backed Stress Relief

A Drexel University study tested 39 adults (ages 18–59) during a 45-minute art session using simple materials like clay, markers, and paper. 75% of participants showed significant drops in cortisol—the primary stress hormone—even if they weren’t artists^{[1][3][4][5][6]}.

One participant captured it perfectly:

“After about five minutes, I felt less anxious. I was able to obsess less about things that I had not done or needed to get done. Doing art allowed me to put things into perspective.”^[1][5]

The key? It didn’t matter if you were a novice—stress relief kicked in quickly. The study found no correlation between prior art experience and the amount of stress relief^[3][5].

🎨 Why Tracing + Watercolor Amplifies the Effect

• Tracing introduces flow: Following lines focuses your attention and can help redirect your mind from worry to calm—a benefit supported by art therapy research^[5].

• Watercolor soothes and centers: The gentle blending and fluid strokes of watercolor painting can reduce anxious thoughts and increase feelings of relaxation and focus^[5]. Mindfulness-based art therapy, including watercolor, has been shown to improve emotion regulation in clinical studies.

• No artistic skill needed: The Drexel study and others confirm that creativity’s stress-relieving benefits don’t require talent—just participation^[3][4][5].

🌱 Life-Changing Benefits You’ll Actually Feel

Establishing this ritual regularly can bring:

• Instant calm: Many participants reported feeling less anxious within minutes of starting art-making^[1][5].

• Mindful presence: Focusing on color, texture, and flow helps you step away from racing thoughts and to-do lists.

• Giftable creative connection: Trace and paint a flower as a thoughtful card or bedside note.

• Evening unwinding: No screens—just creativity and relaxation before bed.

• Mood boost & confidence: Completing a painting provides a sense of accomplishment and emotional uplift^[2].

Not just stress relief—this becomes a daily ritual that connects, calms, and centers you, creatively and emotionally.

🎁 Want to Try It?

Download free calming templates to start tracing today.
Five minutes, no pressure. Just quiet, mindful creation.

👉 Get your LightGuide Artboard now — and feel the difference in minutes.

With research-backed clarity and hands-on simplicity, this is wellness you can hold—no experience required.

Sources

• [1] Drexel University News: “At Any Skill Level, Making Art Reduces Stress Hormones”

• [2] Drexel University News Blog: “Just 45 Minutes of Art-Making Improves Self-Confidence”

• [3] PMC: “Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants’ Responses Following Art Making” (Kaimal et al., 2016)

• [4] PsyPost: “Skill level doesn’t matter: Making art reduces stress hormone cortisol”

• [5] YourStory: “45 minutes of artistic activity is enough to reduce stress”

• [6] Neuroscience News: “Making Art Reduces Stress Hormones”