Reading Before Bed: The Way Your Brain Loves

Reading before bed is more than just a habit – it’s a pleasure. It’s a way to relax after a day full of activities and worries. When you read before going to bed, you have your own moment to immerse yourself in a sea of ​​words. It’s a world of opportunity that takes your mind to exciting new places. This habit is one of the brain favorites because it loves to be nourished, stimulated and seduced every night…

Some people turn off the light when they read the last chapter of their book. They experience the heady joy that comes with heavy eyelids and a calm mind. Reading takes their thoughts out of this world and takes them into the world of dreams. Other people turn off the light in the wee hours after watching a few episodes of their favorite series. Some, on the other hand, crash into their beds after spending a few hours on social media, emails, or WhatsApp.

We all have our own habits and lifestyles. Whether we like it or not, our sleep routines significantly affect our quality of life. Reading before going to bed has been a tradition for thousands of years, but today it is in danger of “dying out”.

It is a shame that fewer and fewer people are reading before going to bed. And not just that, it’s a way to ignore your health and your brain. Let’s take a closer look at this idea.

Unexpected benefits of reading before going to bed

Getting a relaxing shower, wearing nice clothes, hot tea and going to bed with a book is simple, cheap and delightful. In addition, it can change your life in many ways.

If you consider this a bit of an exaggeration, you just have to study what science says on the subject. After all, reading before going to bed is a simple path to happiness that we should not give up.

An effective form of relaxation

The study by the Sleep Council in the United Kingdom came to interesting conclusions. What we can tell you is that reading from thirty minutes to an hour significantly reduces stress.

• As you read, your mind’s attention will turn away and you can escape the pressures and worries of everyday life. You can feel free, safe and you can get a little perspective on things.
• Similarly, studies show that when you read, your muscles relax. In addition, your breathing slows down and becomes more rhythmic.
• Experts believe that reading is the best option for watching TV or using electronic devices. The latter “tricks” your brain into thinking it’s still a day. This is because the blue light on the screens reduces melatonin production.

Reading improves cognitive resistance

Despite the fact that we still do not have treatment for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, we know one thing. It is possible to train our brains to be stronger and more resilient against cognitive decline.

One way to do that is by reading. Reading before going to bed is even better because it further optimizes brain processes. You can better manage stress, sleep better, exercise memory, mental agility, imagination… It has so many benefits.

Start your creativity

A relaxed mind is a creative mind. If you feed your brain with stories, experiences, fairy tales, opportunities, and wonderful discoveries every night, you will enhance your imagination. Your brain will become more inventive, original and creative. Reading psychology experts, such as Keith E. Stanovich of the University of Toronto, believe that there are very few things that bring so much benefit to children.

Reading helps children improve their cultural awareness, vocabulary and expressiveness. In addition, it helps them develop abstract thinking.

Increasing empathy

Raymond Mar, a psychologist at York University in Canada, believes that reading helps us be more empathetic. He has done more research on the subject than anyone else in his field. He argues that novels and stories offer a unique opportunity to develop this capacity. We identify with the characters and we suffer, laugh and love alongside them…

It all leaves its mark on us. It urges us to improve our capacity for empathy. Likewise (as strange as it may seem) reading before going to bed further enhances this benefit. Before going to bed, we pay more attention to what we read. As a result, we are more focused and able to describe those emotions and they come to life in our brains.

Promotes inner peace

There are only a few things that are worse than going to bed in a bad mood. Maybe you’re annoyed after a hard day at work. Or maybe you were just arguing with your partner, or maybe you’re worried about the news. You can’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday or what you need to do tomorrow.

One way to “break” this stressful cycle is to read a book. Reading a book is like getting a ticket to a quiet island. It allows you to be someone different, to do something different. You can change the skin and leave for the assignment. For one or two hours, you can allow yourself to live in a parallel universe. The time you spend in this imaginary world will help you relax in this world.

So what are you waiting for? Give yourself these few moments of peace every day. Train your brain for calm and relaxation. Don’t hesitate to take this as your habit and do it every night. It is worth your own health and mental health. Take the right book (not electronic) and let it take you wherever it takes you.