Newyddion

A book a day...A book a day...

03/03/2022

Today #WorldBookDay and #UniMentalHealthDay coincide – and quite frankly it’s the best thing that’s ever happened. Today we get to promote two of our favourite things, books and reading!

Reading has been shown to help improve mental health and wellbeing in many fascinating ways:

  • Reading can reduce your stress levels:

Research carried out by Mindlab International at the University of Sussex in 2009 showed that people’s stress levels were reduced by 68% after only six minutes of reading a book (Lewis, D. (2009), Galaxy Stress Research. Mindlab International, Sussex University, UK)

  • Reading can reduce your anxiety:

A study at Emory University found that reading a novel enhances connectivity in the brain as well as improving brain function, and that these effects last even after you’ve finished the book 

  • Reading can help you live a longer, healthier life

Reading has been shown to be protective against Alzheimer’s and other cognitive decline and delaying that decline means that reading can actually help you live longer. This study found that these effects on longevity exist regardless of gender, wealth, education, or health.

It doesn’t matter what you read (as long as you’re not reading about something that upsets you!), the important thing is that the subject matter captures your interest, enabling your mind to relax every day.

So, whether you like to read non-fiction, poetry, fiction, self-help, or graphic novels, books or ebooks, visit Primo, the library catalogue, or pop into the library and you'll find just what you need