How Do You Relieve Stress?

Robyn Maxwell

Robyn Maxwell is the Director of Internal Communications at Asurion where she is responsible for employee and executive communications. She had previously worked for a corporate and crisis communication consulting firm in New York City before moving to Nashville. Robyn spends her time exploring Nashville’s new restaurants, attending concerts, biking, playing tennis and hiking. ​

Many of us – regardless of our age – struggle with stress and anxiety. Whether it has to do with peer pressure, starting a new school, your job, or simply having too much on your plate, stress pops up in our life from time to time, and we all have different ways of coping with it. What works for some people may not work for everyone, but studies show that there’s a common technique we can all do daily to help reduce stress: reading.

​“Reading can be a wonderful (and healthy) escape from the stress of everyday life. Simply by opening a book, you allow yourself to be invited into a literary world that distracts you from your daily stressors. Reading can even relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles. A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%. It works better and faster than other relaxation methods, such as listening to music or drinking a hot cup of tea. This is because your mind is invited into a literary world that is free from the stressors that plague your daily life.”[1]

There’s a reason why ‘bedtime stories’ are a popular routine for parents and their children. Not only does reading have many benefits such as promoting learning and brain development for children but, if done at night, it also helps calm them down and make for a better night’s sleep.

Even after my parents stopped reading me bedtime stories as a child, I was encouraged to read a book on my own before bed. It became a habit that I couldn’t break. I still read to this day and can’t fall asleep without reading a few pages of the latest novel on my bedside table. Now I know why – it relaxes me, takes my mind off things, and is an escape from any stressful matters that might be occupying my mind.

If you’re not someone who regularly reads before bed, I encourage you to try it every night for a month and see if you go to bed less stressed and sleep better! Share your thoughts below or on social and use the hashtag #LiteracyIsJustice in your comments!

[1] https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/reading-stress-relief