The 15-minute bedtime trick that could help quiet a busy mum brain

An art therapist reveals how paint by numbers before bed can calm racing thoughts and support better sleep.

Partially painted by numbers painting with small containers of paint and brushes.

Published: February 16, 2026 at 11:04 AM

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If your body feels exhausted but your brain is running through tomorrow’s to-do list on a loop, you are not alone. For many mums, bedtime is the only quiet moment of the day, yet it is often when racing thoughts are at their loudest.

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While most sleep advice focuses on what to avoid before bed, one art therapist says the answer is not forcing your mind to be quiet, but giving it something gentle to do instead.

According to Dr. Eleni Nicolaou, art therapist and creative wellness expert at Davincified, spending just 15 minutes on a simple paint-by-numbers kit could be the surprisingly effective bridge between a busy day and restful sleep.

Why your brain struggles to switch off

“The brain needs something to do to switch off,” Nicolaou says. “When we give it a gentle, repetitive task (something that engages the hands and eyes) it naturally begins to quieten.”

The brain needs something to do to switch off. When we give it a gentle, repetitive task (something that engages the hands and eyes) it naturally begins to quieten.

Eleni Nicolaou, Art Therapist and Creative Wellness Expert at Davincified

Nicolaou explains that when you are worrying, planning or mentally replaying conversations, you are primarily using the analytical left side of your brain. This keeps you in a state of alertness, with stress hormones such as cortisol still circulating.

“Analytical thinking keeps us in a state of alertness,” Nicolaou explains. “But when we engage with visual, tactile activities, we're literally changing which part of the brain is dominant. That shift is what allows the body's stress response to dial down.”

In simple terms, painting helps move the brain from analytical mode to sensory mode. Instead of future-focused thinking, your attention shifts to colour, shape and movement. Your heart rate and breathing begin to slow, and your body gets the signal that it is safe to rest.

How paint by numbers becomes a ‘sleep hero’

For many of us, the idea of doing art before bed might feel more stressful than soothing. If you are already overwhelmed, the last thing you need is another thing to get “right”.

This is exactly why Nicolaou calls paint by numbers the “sleep hero” for people who worry they are “not artistic enough”.

Unlike freeform drawing, paint by numbers removes two anxiety triggers: deciding what to create and judging whether it looks good. The structure is already there. You simply match the numbered paints to the corresponding sections on the canvas.

“It's art on rails,” says Nicolaou. “You get all the neurological benefits of creativity without the pressure of perfection. Your brain can relax into the repetitive motion without worrying about the outcome.”

By eliminating creative decisions, the activity becomes low stakes and predictable, which is exactly what an overstimulated mind needs at the end of the day.

The ‘bone to chew on’ effect

Nicolaou describes this type of activity as giving your mind a “bone to chew on”. Rather than trying to force your thoughts away, you gently occupy them with something repetitive and contained.

Research into creative activities shows they can trigger what is known as a flow state, where you are fully absorbed in what you are doing. In this state, the nervous system’s fight or flight response reduces, helping the body transition towards rest.

There is also a grounding element to physically moving a brush across a canvas. Focusing on the texture of the paint, the feel of the brush in your hand and the gradual filling of small sections anchors you in the present moment.

“This is what we call ‘embodied presence’,” Nicolaou notes. “When you're engaged in a tactile activity, you're anchoring yourself in the present moment. That's the opposite of the anxious, future-focused thinking that keeps people awake.”

The simple 15-minute rule

The good news is you do not need to complete a masterpiece. Nicolaou recommends keeping a kit by your bedside and using it as a buffer zone between your day and sleep.

“The beauty of this approach is that you don't need to be ‘good at art’ to benefit from it. Paint-by-numbers removes the intimidation factor completely. You're not creating from scratch, but simply following a guide, and that structure is exactly what an overactive mind needs.

“I recommend keeping a kit by your bedside and spending just 15 minutes each night filling in a few sections. You'll notice your breathing slows, your thoughts settle, and that racing mental energy finds somewhere productive to go. It all involves giving your brain permission to shift gears. That transition is what makes sleep possible,” she says.

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For mums juggling work, childcare and the invisible mental load, the idea of adding something new to the evening routine might feel unrealistic. But 15 minutes of gentle, guided creativity could be the difference between lying awake for an hour and drifting off more peacefully.

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MadeForMums team

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