Guest blog by Noushin Naziripour, Yellowknife Public Library
Do you buy books and don’t get past the introduction? Do you want to improve your reading habits? Do you miss reading because of your busy and stressful life?
Then read slowly to reduce stress or consider joining a silent reading café. You could join the “slow reading” movement, where slow reading groups around the world are hosting “silent reading parties.”
The Wall Street Journal reports in "Read Slowly to Benefit Your Brain and Cut Stress” that reading in a quiet environment without pausing to check emails, text, Facebook, and phone messages can benefit your brain tremendously. Slow reading without distractions can relax your brain, reduce stress, and increase comprehension and analytical skills.
According to an article in Scientific American called “Why Your Brain Needs More Downtime” scientists discovered that a particular set of scattered brain regions consistently became less active when people concentrated on a mental challenge such as reading. The brain begins to work harder when we lie down and let our thoughts wander because the brain actually works harder when we are idle.
A British study showed that just six minutes of reading can reduce stress levels by two thirds (more than listening to music or having a cup of tea
Attention Yellowknife residents: The Yellowknife Public Library has a Silent Reading Café. Come to the library every Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m. Bring your book or magazine and join other readers in companionable silence to read for an hour or two. Feel free to bring your lunch, but please turn off your electronic devices.
