In a fast-paced world where we’re all obsessed with tech, it can be ever more challenging to find the time, space and motivation to pick up a book – or put on an audiobook.
Think about it. When was the last time you read a book? For me, I am afraid it has been a long time, even though I love reading. Why? Just because life gets so busy.
But as this weekend marks National Book Lover’s Day; it’s worth reflecting on what it is that reading can do for us which is, it turns out, a lot. Then we’ll turn to some sneaky strategies to incorporate reading into your daily life.
Reading reduces stress levels dramatically and fast. One famous study from 2009 by researchers at the University of Sussex found that reading just for six minutes a day can reduce muscle tension, lower heart rate, calm your mind. All this, apparently, lowers stress by 68 per cent. This is far higher than other activities the researchers investigated – things like going for a walk, listening to music or having a cup of tea.
Have you forgotten how much you love to read? (Photo: Daniel de la Hoz/Getty/Moment RF)
