Reading for your wellbeing

Reducing stress, lowering levels of anxiety and generally keeping relaxed and calm can be challenging. This week is Mental Health Awareness week, 13th - 19th May, and we thought it would be a chance to highlight the benefits reading can have around our wellbeing.

Reading can relax your body, lower your heart rate and reduce tension in your muscles. A study that took place at the University of Sussex (2009) showed that it can also reduce stress by up to 68%.

Joining a reading group or going to an open mic night where you can read books/poetry or share stories and talk about them with others are both great ways to meet people, find support and a sense of community.

Reading about others going through similar experiences or challenges can help us to feel less alone and there is value in hearing advice from someone who you can relate to.

Reading fiction allows us to immerse ourselves in another world within the pages of the book, giving us time out, to become swept up in the imagined experiences of the characters.

Browsing in a bookshop to find your next read can be a great way to relax. We have just carried out a shop refresh, why not pop in to explore what we have been up to.