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Reading cuts stress levels by 68%

By Lucy Halfhead on Monday 30 March 2009

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Marie Claire World News: Woman Reading a book

Reading is the best way to relax and even six minutes can be enough to reduce the stress levels by more than two thirds or 68%.

New research by consultancy Mindlab International at the University of Sussex says reading works better and faster than other methods to calm frazzled nerves such as listening to music, going for a walk or settling down with a cup of tea.

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Psychologists believe this is because the human mind has to concentrate on reading and the distraction of being taken into a literary world eases the tensions in muscles and the heart.

The volunteers were monitored and their stress levels and heart rate were increased through a range of tests and exercises before they were then tested with a variety of traditional methods of relaxation.

Reading worked best, reducing stress levels by 68 per cent, said cognitive neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis. Subjects only needed to read, silently, for six minutes to slow down the heart rate and ease tension in the muscles, he found. In fact it got subjects to stress levels lower than before they started.

Listening to music reduced the levels by 61 per cent, have a cup of tea of coffee lowered them by 54 per cent and taking a walk by 42 per cent. Playing video games brought them down by 21 per cent from their highest level but still left the volunteers with heart rates above their starting point.

Dr Lewis, who conducted the test, said: ‘Losing yourself in a book is the ultimate relaxation. This is particularly poignant in uncertain economic times when we are all craving a certain amount of escapism.

‘This is more than merely a distraction but an active engaging of the imagination as the words on the printed page stimulate your creativity and cause you to enter what is essentially an altered state of consciousness.’

The research was commissioned by Galaxy chocolate to launch a campaign to give away one million books over the next six months.

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Monday 30 March 2009

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I certainly agree. But, it might have a little to do with what it is you are reading. If you think about the various topics you have read in your lifetime, I am sure you will think of one or two that has increased your stress. I am an author and in my writings, it is a certainty that your stress level will go down. My latest series has actually put a few people to sleep. Just kidding. I hope.
Comment by Dr Paradise on June 14 02:23

Great to here, since I love reading anyways, good book and a glass of wine, I could live forever.
Comment by Tom on June 14 12:52

They must be talking about reading FICTION, because the type of reading I do often makes my blood boil.
Comment by Joanne at Open Mind Required on June 14 18:59

Great news for writers!
Comment by Mark David Gerson on July 30 14:54

Interesting. I would be interested to see if the same holds for reading something on an ereader, or if there is a difference between reading something on a digital screen and reading a real book.
Comment by Chris Lawrence on February 06 18:16

As an avid reader who suffers from anxiety, this makes me dread to think how high my stress levels would be if I did not read!
Comment by Sallymanda on February 07 11:53

When I was younger I use to read everyday. you would NEVER see me without a book. I use to tell my children that could go any where in the world , or even the universe just by reading a book. time I took my own advice maybe:)
Comment by Freida on April 09 06:29

Reading reduces stress but reason may be that while reading you concentrate to understand what you are reading & it distracts you from other thoughts which are weighing on your mind.
However in your own interest read what you like & it will reduce your stress.
One example is our prayers what ever is our faith & it diverts your thinking.other thoughts do not come to your mind & that is greatest stress buster.
In India we prey for at least 1/2 or 1 hour & immense feeling of relaxation is seen.
Comment by Ramkrishan on April 09 15:04

Joanne, what the hell are you reading?! I rarely read fiction and my blood has yet to boil.
Comment by G on April 18 22:26

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