With the holiday season well under way, life may seem hectic. Between shopping, decorating, working, volunteering and going to holiday parties, stress can overwhelm what should be a time to relax and celebrate.
If you’re looking for a great way to reduce your stress load this season, pick up a book and read. Reading is one of the best and fastest ways to reduce stress, according to a study by the University of Sussex. That study concluded that reading for just six minutes can be enough to reduce your stress levels by more than two-thirds. That’s a pretty significant reduction, especially for a six-minute time commitment. The study showed that by reading for only six minutes, study participants were able to slow down their heart rates reduce muscle tension.
If there’s the possibility of reducing your stress levels after just six minutes of reading, don’t you think it’s worth it? And I’m sure even with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season you can find six minutes to fit in some reading. You could read for six minutes before you go to bed at night or right after you wake up in the morning. You could find six minutes during your lunch break. You could read with your children or grandchildren for six minutes after school. You could also read for six minutes waiting in line while holiday shopping (you can download eBooks onto most smartphones for free with your library card).
If you are looking for some great books to help reduce your stress level, stop by any of the Sweetwater County Library locations. They have books for all types of readers, and they’re always getting in new books that you can check out. If you don’t have time to stop by the library, you can read eBooks on your smartphone or tablet. The library has eBooks available that work on most devices and, of course, you can check them out for free. One of the advantages of eBooks is that you can check them out even when the library buildings are closed. So if you need a book to read over Christmas weekend but forgot to stop by the library, our eBooks are there for you.
Need some more motivation to read? The library’s winter reading program is going on now through Jan. 30. Stop by any of the libraries, sign up and you will have the opportunity to win prizes just by reading. Sounds like some great motivation to me.
Back to reducing stress, coloring and doing puzzles can also help bring down your stress levels. With that in mind the libraries now have puzzles and coloring books available for adults to use while in the buildings. Stop by and color a picture or help us complete our puzzles. Both are entertaining and can help you relax this winter.
Enjoy the holidays!
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