For as long as I can remember, I have always been a reader. But with the advent of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and more streaming channels, reading has taken a backseat. I think a lot of people will agree that there have been nights where they have sat reading a book and just not gone to bed because of how gripping the book was. Now it is advisable to develop a healthy reading habit. And you might brush that off and go back to watching Stranger Things on Netflix. But what if we told you that you could make more money by reading? According to research, people who read before going to bed, sleep better, eat healthier and even make more money.
Sleep Survey Proves That Reading Before Bed Is Advisable
It might just be time for you to retire Netflix to your Netflix and chill sessions and grab a book before instead. Mattress and sleep product review site, Sleep Junkie recently conducted a survey among 1000 people to gauge their sleeping habits and bedtime routines. The outcome was anything but surprising but proved that reading before going to bed is a great practice. When quizzed on their reading habits, 11% of people said that they read once or twice a week before getting their snooze time in. 12% of them read 3-4 times a week, 7% read 5-6 times a week and 8% read every day of the week. The survey found out that the average reading time amounted to 43 minutes. That is a pretty significant amount of time considering how busy people are in their daily lives. I for one can vouch for the fact that the only thing I want to do once I get home is to sleep.
Why Is Reading Before Bed Good For You?
Now the question arises as to why it’s a good habit to read before bed? The answer is actually fairly simple. Like most respondents said, reading made them feel more relaxed and stress-free. It also made them sleepier and put them into snooze mode and made them feel fresher in the morning. And the result was unanimous. Out of the people surveyed, three-quarters of them said that they actually had a hard time falling asleep when they didn’t read. And a whopping 96% said that they would recommend reading before going to bed to everybody.
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But it doesn’t end there. If you do develop a habit of grabbing a book right before you call it a night, you could be swimming in moolah. Alright, that may be a bit of an exaggeration but readers make approximately 10% more than non-readers. They also tend to live a healthier lifestyle. Let’s be honest, if you wake up cranky, you are bound to crave junk and desserts. However, 12% of the respondents said that they prefer healthier food options and exercising.
If you think we are just making this up then you should look up the term ‘bibliotherapy’. The dictionary meaning of it translates to, the use of books as therapy in the treatment of mental or psychological disorders. So, it really is true. Reading is one of the best habits you can pick up in today’s time.
What Should You Be Reading Before Going To Bed?
How often have you found yourself reading a book that you just can’t put down? Your fingers just yearn to flip pages even when the clock ticks away into oblivion. Although reading is a good practice, if you are planning on doing it to sleep better, you have to pick books that put you to bed and not keep you up. That doesn’t mean that you have to read dreary books and bore yourself death (you do want to wake up next morning). But the kind of book you pick up also determines if you will be out like a light in minutes or stay up like an owl. Try picking up a book that will calm your mind and make you feel relaxed. Thrillers and murder mysteries may keep you up because we all want to know whodunit! Make sure you set a time limit for your reading and choose lively books. Books with cliffhangers are bound to keep your mind racing and we don’t want that. So, opt for some light reading with books that preferably have happy endings.
And that’s all. So, the next time you have trouble sleeping, blow away the dust from your bookshelf and read yourself to sleep.