If you could reduce your stress levels in under ten minutes by doing something you enjoy, would you? A popular study done by the University of Sussex showed that “stress levels declined by 68 percent after participants read for just six minutes” . A good book transports you to another place where your own stresses don’t exist, allowing you to relax.

In this time of constant technological connection, our sleep is suffering. The blue light emitted from screens disrupts melatonin levels. By checking “one last email” you are waking your brain up when you should be relaxing. Then there is the stress of reading the news. As we now know, reading a book helps you to relax.

Having enough restful sleep makes a big impact on how you feel and how productive you are the next day. Instead of checking your work emails or surfing the web before bed, put the screens away and reach for a good book instead. You will thank yourself the next day!

Is reading important to you? If it is, it likely will be important to your children. It is proven that “parents are children’s first and most enduring educators and have a huge influence on their development” .

Reading to your child is of course key, but so is showing them that reading matters to you, too. Most parents know that children are excellent mimics, so give them access to books and let them see you reading. It won’t be long until you catch your little person reading to their stuffed animals or curled up with a book instead of watching television.