Reading is an effective way to relieve stress

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

How to deal with stress in a short time? British scientists strongly recommend reading an amusing book. According to researchers from the University of Sussex, reading allows you to relax in a short period of time and is by far the most reliable way to overcome the stress response.

An unassuming activity like reading is a great stress reliever. Plus, it works better and faster than listening to music, a cup of tea or a walk.

The researchers subjected the volunteers to a series of stress tests and exercises. After that, they were offered to use one of the most common relaxation methods and the effectiveness of the method for normalizing the pulse and muscle tone was determined.

Reading was found to reduce stress levels best by 68 percent. To normalize the pulse and relax the muscles, it was enough to silently read for six minutes.

Listening to music reduced stress levels by 61 percent, a cup of tea or coffee by 54 percent, and walking by 42 percent. Video games reduced stress significantly worse (by 21 percent), and the heart rate during the game did not drop to baseline values.

The study's author, cognitive neurophysiologist David Lewis, believes that it doesn't matter which book you read to cope with stress. You just need to plunge into it, "exploring the sphere of the author's imagination."

“It doesn't matter which book you choose,” the scientist says. - The main thing is that by reading an exciting work, you can disconnect from the worries and hassles of the real world. This is not just a distraction, but also an active work of the imagination, since the printed word stimulates your creativity and allows you to look at the situation from a different angle."