Reading has many benefits. Not only does it help develop creativity, empathy or memory, but it is also a good way to reduce stress. This is what a study conducted by the University of Sussex claims. The researchers who conducted this study concluded that just 6 minutes of reading a day can reduce stress by 68% because reading slows the heartbeat and relieves muscle tension. According to Dr. David Lewis, the neuropsychologist who conducted this research, reading helps to escape from all the worries and stress of everyday life. They argue that it is therefore very important to take a break at the end of the day, open a book and engage in reading.
This is something that helps adults relax after a full day of work, but we have to think that our children’s days are also stressful. School, homework and sports can cause stress in children, so reading a good book can be a good solution. And why not does it together? Going to the bookstore, choosing a book that interests our children and reading it together before bedtime can be a good way to get closer to our children, strengthen the bond with them and share an activity that our children will remember even as adults. After all, as the study mentioned above states, it only takes a few minutes a day to reduce stress.
But why does reading reduce stress?
Apart from the scientific reason given by the study conducted by the University of Sussex, reading helps reduce stress because when we read, we escape from everyday life. When we open a book and start reading, we immerse ourselves in a story different from our own life, we identify with characters that have a different character than our own and we let ourselves be captivated by it.
Our children also experience the same thing when they read their favorite books. By choosing the story that fascinates them the most, they immerse themselves in worlds with completely different characters: wizards, dragons, elves, princesses. Books transport them to unique places and they experience adventures that are very different from those in the real world. All this contributes to relax our children who, after a day of school, homework and various activities, find themselves between the pages of a book that catapults them into fantastic worlds and adventures.
Therefore, reading is very important and doing it together with our children allows us to develop the activity of reading. The ideal is to find a moment every day to dedicate to reading and relax with our children, so that, in this way, it becomes a pastime and an activity to share together.
Reading helps us sleep better
Reading helps us to be with ourselves, to disconnect, especially from social networks. Every day we are connected, in front of a computer or a cell phone, and even when we go home, we connect, sometimes before going to sleep. However, this not only does not help us to relax, but also worsens our sleep. According to studies conducted by several researchers, instead of turning on our mobile or our computer, it is advisable to read a book. Reading before going to sleep, in fact, helps us to fall asleep earlier and more deeply, because it allows the body to relax quickly. This is because during reading, all the energy is concentrated on mental work, which gives time for the muscles to relax completely. Therefore, we should get into the habit of opening the pages of a book every night and try to relax in order to sleep better, rest and face the next day in the best possible way. to reduce stress.
Immersing ourselves in a book can help us to isolate ourselves from the reality around us. Researchers at the University of Liverpool carried out a study in which they analyzed 4,000 people and concluded that those who read regularly had higher self-esteem, a greater capacity to react to difficult situations and a lower incidence of stress. Therefore, reading a good book after a stressful day helps to reduce stress by up to 60% and helps to lift the mood. Also, for this reason, it could become an activity that we can share with our children.
In our Materlu’s catalog of personalized books you will find a wide selection of titles that can help your children relax after a stressful day. Sapin’s motorbike, The dreamcatcher or The secret broom are some of the stories that you could read together to your children before bedtime to find a moment of relaxation and strengthen the bond between parents and children.
