6 Reasons Why You Should Read Before Bed

As if you need another reason to read

Published May 05, 2017

So it shouldn't be a surprise that reading is good for your health, we knew that all along! But do you know why? It turns out that there are a bunch of benefits if you read before you go to bed. If you've been doing this already, you're in luck. If not, maybe it's a good time to start the habit.

1) You'll sleep better

Reading helps induce sleep by putting your mind somewhere else, and not focusing on things happening in your life. It's like when you read to kids before they go to bed, many will fall asleep by the end of the story! This is unless you're at a super exciting part in your book, then you may want to fight it off to finish the last few pages.

2) It helps reduce stress

A group of researchers at the University of Surrey found that reading before bed can reduce stress up to 68 percent! That's a lot of weight off your shoulders, and a lot of pages to dive into!  

3) You will be more at peace

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Having the television on in the background while you're trying to fall asleep may keep you up longer, especially if it's loud and graphic. Reading is a great way to calmly settle yourself in for the night and lull you to sleep. It's much better for your overall health and well-being!  

4) You'll concentrate better

While scrolling through social media before bed, you're digesting many different things at once making it harder to focus on one specific thing. Without having any visual aids (unless you're reading a comic or graphic novel), you're forced to focus in on one story when you read a book! This way you're training your brain to buckle down and really concentrate. 

5) You can become more empathetic

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You become more empathetic by learning to see the world through the eyes of others, and reading helps you do that! According to a psychologist at York University, by diversifying what you read, and reading regularly, you're gaining the ability to see a story through another pair of eyes different from your own.  

6) You will become more creative

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Because reading is like a brain workout, the more you read the more you'll begin to see things in a different way than you have before. This also lends itself into figuring out new ways to problem solve, so you'll be able to think around more obstacles and creative blocks!