A study found that just 6 minutes of reading before bed decreases stress 68%.

It’s almost too easy to use our phones for some quick entertainment before bed.

But this might be making our health worse.

Instead pick up a book, a real book, and just read for 6 minutes.

“Researchers believe that the concentration required for reading has a physiological effect on the brain, engages the imagination and stimulates creativity, all contributing to a shutdown of the emergency fight or flight response. As the stress hormones dissipate, the fear centre of the brain becomes less active and the rationalisation areas of the brain take over. This shift in the brain makes you feel calmer and more in control.”

Don’t know what to read?

Gaelyn recommends Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series.

Lewis, D. (2009), Galaxy Stress Research, Mindlab International, Sussex University, UK.

https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/medlit/2023/01/19/reading-reduces-stress-fact/