Reading & proven stress relief.

Guys, I read a fact about reading and I need to talk about it. Ready? Drumroll please (seriously, do a drumroll in your head, anticipation matters).

Reading for 6 (SIX!) minutes a day reduces stress by 68% (SIXTY EIGHT PERCENT!).

Here is it again without my shocked & screamy capital interruptions: reading for 6 minutes a day reduces stress by 68%. It works more efficiently than music or even mindful relaxation exercise. 

Not only is this really surprising to be, but it feels validating for my bibliophile heart. Silently raise your hand if you are a parent, or if you work full time or are a caregiver of any kind. The stress level of just regular life is pretty high up there, there is so much freaking pressure these days to do things just so that it is almost overwhelming to complete basic tasks like grocery shopping. To hear that my favorite activity not only reduces stress, but does it so quickly really makes my literary loving heart glow like a little glow worm. 

There are stipulations, as there are with everything, amirite? (Did that hurt you to read as much as it hurt me to write? Moving on.)

To really capitalize on the whole stress reduction thing, here are some things to keep in mind:

• What you read matters, it has to be something of interest. 
• Do not read something you know will rile you up. For example, there are what I call light romantic reads (see The Trouble with the Guy Next Door) and heavier reads (see A Court of Thorns and Roses). Both novels have a romance plot line, one is a much less emotional read than the other – this matters.
• Judge how you feel after you read in order to determine the types of reading that will help you destress.  

Whew, it was incredibly hard for me to be calm about that. Go ahead, ask me: how do you know this Melisa Paige? Well, I will direct your interest to a lovely informed piece of research from the University of Minnesota: (click here to read details).

Also, shameless plug: if you are on the hunt for something great to read, head over to my reviews section and see if something tickles your fancy. Click here!

Side note – no one person experiences stress in the same manner as another. I am passionate about taking care of yourself. If you have a lot of stress, anxiety or other feelings that you feel aren’t in the realm of “normal” (whatever that means), I would recommend talking to someone with appropriate qualifications to help.