Reading. Something we do every day, in many ways. We read street signs, we read directions, we read texts and emails, we read instructions on everything from setting up a crib to how your manager wants you to approach a new project.
As an author, I read all the time. My own work (“that was horrible” – erase!), other people’s work (endless), even my bottle of wine. Oh yeah, my new favorite is a wine labeled “Well Read”! I kid you not, the label is a painting of a cozy corner with shelves of books. How could I resist?
That said, the thing about reading is that we mostly take it for granted. We recognize the usefulness of reading, but that is all. And yet, there is so much more to read. No, not only in terms of entertainment or new knowledge acquired, but in terms of your health.
By the way! Did you know that according to research conducted at the University of Sussex, reading can reduce your stress level by up to 68%? That’s huge! Not only that, but reading can slow your heart rate and ease muscle tension, which in turn makes it easier to relax. It doesn’t take much. Reading for just six minutes will relieve stress. Without any of those annoying side effects that come with various substances/medications. You can even read for free! How’s that for a bonus? Public libraries still exist and are still well stocked with all kinds of literary works.
The question is, what to read to relieve stress? Reading the news (online or offline) often increases stress, so it’s not a good option. Reading what you need to study for work or continuing education is seldom enjoyable. No, the kind of reading that reduces stress is more of the fiction variety. A novel that takes you out of your ordinary existence and transports you to another time, to another place, to another planet, is ideal. A book that doesn’t require too much active thinking on your part, where you can sit back in your head and just enjoy the characters and their story. Because it is the distraction from our daily worries and problems that provides stress relief so beneficial to our overall health and well-being.
Yes, you can certainly benefit from an audiobook, although generally speaking, the written word, whether read on your computer, iPad, eBook reader, or in pocket format, tends to more fully engage our senses. . Therefore, a more complete distraction from the everyday.
My personal reading for stress relief is historical fiction. I love being transported back to ancient Egypt, Tudor England, or the Italian Renaissance. I enjoy picking up a bit of historical fact along with the invented characters and situations. Your joy may come from stories of alien empires, fantasy fiction, masterful detective work, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that whatever book you choose or play, you can slip into that world in your imagination easily and comfortably. And leave that world satisfied once you close the book for now.
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Reference:
Lewis, D. (2009) Galactic Stress Research. Mindlab International, University of Sussex, UK
