Many people find it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep at some point in adulthood. Reasons for this are extensive, and can often be stress-related.
If you believe you’re currently struggling with insomnia, try reading a few minutes before it’s time to hit the hay. Surprisingly, there are several benefits linked to reading a good book at bedtime, and we’re here to tell you all about them.
Helps Establish a Bedtime Routine
If you create and follow through with a regular bedtime routine, you’ll be more apt to fall asleep swiftly. Why? Because you’re training your brain to automatically queue *sleep* with repetitive behaviors. That can look like:
- Brushing your teeth
- Washing your face
- Combing your hair
- Reading a book
Our suggestion? Make it a point to read for a few minutes (or a few pages) each night before sleepy time. Pick the book up night after night, and eventually, the signals will be so inherent your eyes will start to drift mid-read.
Reduce Stress
When you read a fictional book, specifically, you transport your thought processes to another life. You take a deep dive into a romance novel, start to learn about an interesting mystery, or decide to dabble in the supernatural. Of course, book genres go way beyond those options, but we’re just naming a few.
What we’re trying to get at is that fiction can get you to stop thinking about stress related to work, school, family, and relationships.
Non-fiction also has its perks: Enlightening you on a new topic, teaching you an interesting hobby, providing much needed wellness to your overall mindset, etc.
Promote Longer Sleep Duration
According to a study put out by NCBI, reading a little before bed can help you stay asleep longer. Don’t go into a read-athon where you’re up until the wee hours of the night, though. Distracting yourself too far may have the opposite, negative effect to a good nights’ sleep.
Improve Relaxation
Though relaxation and stress management go hand-in-hand, we still wanted to point this out: Picking up a good book at bedtime can be compared to that of meditation. Not only does it require concentration, but it also activates the pleasure centers of the brain.
Focus + happiness = easy sleepiness.
Take You Away From Screen Time
Screen time is pretty high on the culprit list for triggering insomnia; in fact, it may be the #1 reason people can’t fall asleep and stay asleep. Luckily, picking up a book and reading a few pages deters you from picking up your cell phone and scrolling through social media. The less exposure to light from electronic devices at bedtime, the better your REM and deep sleep patterns will be.
Things to Consider When Reading a Book Before Bed
To maximize your nightly reading benefits, you’ll want to…
- Get ready for bed beforehand: Change into PJ’s, get your sleepy time tea ready, brush your teeth, prepare your lunch, etc. Reading should be the last thing you do before getting shut-eye.
- Establish the right setting: Think about ambiance and what relaxes you. Do you want to get some aromatherapy going? Turn on your sleep machine? Put some soft vocals on a light speaker? Here, you’ll also want to choose the right kind of lighting. If you have a dimmer in the bedroom, make sure it’s bright enough to read the words but dull enough to not keep you awake.
- Specifically choose the location: Though most reading habits are associated with a desk and sitting chair, this one should not be. Reading before bed requires a relaxing environment, and if it’s the last thing you’ll do before snoozing off, it should always be done in bed. Get the pillows comfy and lay claim to your cozy spot.