How to overcome stress while reading – 5 tips

Some people find reading books stressful. This may be because they’re reading a challenging book on a topic that affects their mental health or feeling pressured to reach a reading goal.

Whatever the reason, there are numerous ways to make reading less stressful. Here, we’ll offer five tips for reducing stress levels while reading.

5 tips for relieving stress while reading books

Here’s how to make reading books less stressful:

Don’t set unrealistic reading goals

Many people set reading goals to stay consistent with reading. Achieving these goals motivates them to read more, stay organized, and prevent distractions.

While setting reading goals can be beneficial, it can also have a negative effect on your motivation and stress levels. Namely, setting reading goals that are difficult to achieve may make you feel like you failed.

These unrealistic goals can destroy your motivation, and you may end up forcing yourself to read more than you can handle, leaving you feeling anxious.

Always ensure your reading goals are realistic. If you’re unsure what goals to set, start small; one book a month may be enough to keep you motivated and focused.

Practice deep breathing while reading

Whether reading fiction or non-fiction, you may become stressed when exploring uncomfortable or heartbreaking topics. Such topics may trigger your stress hormones and increase your heart rate.

Of course, you always have the option to stop reading a book that makes you uncomfortable or stressed. But, if you’re really interested in the subject and want to continue, one of the ways to de-stress is to practice deep breathing.

Deep breathing techniques will lower your heart rate and muscle tension. Besides deep breathing, you can also prepare a cup of tea to enjoy while reading.

Don’t force yourself to read books that don’t suit your taste

It’s hard to enjoy books that you don’t like, whether due to the topic, writing style, narration, or characters. Reading such books can increase stress and lower your motivation for reading.

Remember that it’s okay not to read books you know you won’t like. Likewise, it’s perfectly fine to abandon a book after you’ve started reading it if you’re not enjoying it. Never force yourself to read a book, as this could cause more stress.

Read in a stress-free environment

While some people can read in loud surroundings, many require peace and quiet to immerse themselves in a book. Noise and other distractions can make it hard to focus on a book, which could lead to enhanced stress.

When reading a book, remove all distractions around you. You can play quiet music, light a scented candle, or do anything else that helps you enjoy a good book in peace.

Switch to audiobooks

Many people find reading stressful because they can’t sit still for long periods or can’t focus on the book, no matter how interesting it is. Fortunately, there’s an option to enjoy a book without having to read it: audiobooks.

Audiobooks represent audio versions of books. Listening to them lets you multitask, so you can save a lot of time in the long run. Plus, audiobooks improve your fluency, pronunciation, listening and reading skills, and comprehension.

With audiobooks, you’ll enjoy all the health benefits of reading books without actually reading.

Can reading help reduce stress?

Reading is supposed to be a stress reliever, not a stressor, and numerous studies support this.

For example, a 2009 study by the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%. While reading, we detach ourselves from the real world and enter an altered state of consciousness, which helps us escape from the stresses we experience in everyday life.

Dr. David Lewis, a neuropsychologist at Mindlab International and co-author of the study, stated that it doesn’t matter which book we read. As long as we like and immerse ourselves in the book, we can enjoy the health benefits of reading.

Reading can help reduce stress in many ways:

• It lowers our blood pressure.
• It eases muscle tension.
• It lowers our heart rate.
• It helps us wind down.

Enjoy a stress-free reading experience with Speechify

Reading should be a fun, immersive, and stress-free experience. If you feel stressed while reading, it may be wise to switch to audiobook platforms such as Speechify Audiobooks.

This platform offers over 60,000 titles from different genres. Whether you enjoy non-fiction, romance, self-help books, sci-fi, children’s books, or something else, you can be sure you’ll find it on Speechify.

Besides an impressive selection of titles, Speechify offers features that improve your experience. When listening to an audiobook, you can adjust the desired playback speed, add a bookmark, or set a sleep timer.

Many will be happy to know that Speechify works on both computers and mobile devices. If you’re using multiple devices to enjoy audiobooks, the platform will sync your progress automatically.

Best of all, Speechify gives you a free audiobook when you sign up.

Try Speechify Audiobooks now and enjoy its amazing features.

FAQ

Does reading out loud reduce stress?

Yes, reading out loud can reduce stress, and numerous studies have confirmed this. It can also help us focus on the text we’re reading, practice fluency and pronunciation, and improve memory.

How do you stop stressing while reading?

If you’re feeling stressed while reading, try to identify what causes it. You may be pushing yourself too hard or reading something that makes you feel uncomfortable or tense. Once you identify the cause, find the right solution and stick to it.

What is the best way to manage stress while reading?

Some of the best ways to manage stress while reading are finding books on subjects you enjoy reading about and creating a stress-free environment.

Can reading too much stress you out?

Yes, reading too much can be overwhelming and stress you out. Always ensure to read at your own pace to prevent this from happening.

What are the benefits of reading?

Reading helps us acquire knowledge, expand our views, and improve our vocabulary and reading skills. It also has many health benefits, from reducing stress to lowering blood pressure.

Is reading good for stress relief?

Reading can be an excellent way to relieve stress and unwind from the pressures of daily life. Studies have shown that reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 68%. When you read, your brain is distracted from worries and negative thoughts, and you can focus on the story or information in front of you.