The good old habit of reading before bed is gradually fading away. Many people simply cannot resist scrolling through the news feed of social networks once again, or even better, watching interesting videos right in bed. Well, it's time to revive old habits! We've put together compelling arguments for reading before bed. And in the end, let’s face it, let’s talk about the downsides.
New world, creativity and concentration
Remember your childhood years: probably someone close to you read fairy tales to you before going to bed, read poems, stories... Children fall asleep much faster to the voice of a loved one, and even to a story about distant countries, princes and princesses. Of course, an adult is unlikely to read children's books before bed, and even out loud. But still, the feeling of serenity and tranquility from childhood remains in our memory and helps us tune in to sleep.Immersion in events from another reality, in other people's thoughts and experiences helps to escape from one's own affairs. In this way, you give your brain a rest and temporarily get rid of the burden of worries that often causes insomnia.
By the way, if you have been working on a project for a long time or cannot solve some problem, then reading before bed is another way to mentally switch gears and relax. It has been proven that it is when you are distracted and leave your task behind that the most unexpected solutions come.
Why read in bed?
What is the benefit of reading in bed, when you have already done everything planned for the day, been in the shower, put on pajamas and picked up a book? It is these circumstances that help you concentrate more effectively on one thing - a book.In the morning and afternoon you are distracted by phone calls, instant messenger notifications, conversations at home, TV, sounds outside the window. But at night, lying in bed for some time before sleep, you feel a certain isolation from the world, and distractions tend to zero. This is how your brain gradually, day after day, exercises concentration.
Do no harm!
There are also harms to reading before bed. But whether he will or not depends entirely on you. Here's what definitely won't do you any good and won't help you sleep:- reading in a lying position, not half-sitting;
- reading from electronic devices in complete darkness, without other light sources;
- reading from a paper book in dim rather than directional light;
- reading action-packed books (thrillers, horror, action films) that cause insomnia;
- reading complex scientific literature that makes the brain work as actively as during the day.
What books to read before bed?
But what genres of books to read before bed is something everyone chooses for themselves. Some are interested in adventure novels, others are interested in science fiction, detective stories, and many also love romantic stories. The only condition here is that you like the book and that it leaves a positive, not a heavy, aftertaste.Even insomnia can be beneficial if you have an interesting book at hand. ELLE talks about eight ideal companions on an overnight journey: it doesn’t matter whether you’re traveling on a train or you just want to travel, these books will definitely not let you get bored.
"Letter from a Stranger" by Stefan Zweig
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A poignant novella by Austrian writer Stefan Zweig takes us to a tiny apartment in an ordinary residential area of Vienna, where a man lives who one day receives a mysterious message. It was written by a woman with whom their paths had crossed in one way or another over the years, but the man did not even know about her existence. In the letter, the woman describes all their fleeting meetings and leaves several riddles - they are gradually revealed by the hero. And in the end, he learns the woman’s terrible secret, directly related to him.
"Castle of Glass" by Jeannette Walls
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This book quickly became a bestseller and turned the young journalist Jeannette Walls into one of the most popular authors in America. Now a movie is being made based on the book, in which he will play the main role. Essentially, this is an autobiographical work - in it Walls talks about his childhood and growing up in an unusual family, where very shocking methods of education were practiced. The book is truly captivating and touches your heartstrings. By the way, many celebrities adore her, for example, Maria Sharapova.
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Nabokov is a master of words, so even in such a tiny book he was able to fit a story that will not leave any reader indifferent. The novel tells the story of art critic Kretschmar: he falls in love with 16-year-old Magda with a dark past and leaves his wife and daughter for her. Later, his daughter dies of the flu, and Kretschmar decides to go on a trip with his young lover and her homosexual friend Horn. However, it later turns out that Gorn is Magda’s former lover, and the story of his gayness was invented only to deceive Kretschmar. In the end, all this leads to tragedy: Kretschmar finds out the truth, and then an accident happens to him. It is quite possible to find out what will happen next before dawn.
"The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold
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A creepy and at the same time beautiful story about how 14-year-old Susie Salmon was raped and brutally murdered by a neighbor, whose guilt could only be established many years later. The book is interesting because the narration is told from Susie herself, even after her death - it is fantasy, but very believable and touching. The girl helps her family find the killer and a few years later a miracle happens. By the way, Peter Jackson filmed the novel in 2009, and Mark Wahlberg also played the main roles in the film of the same name.
"The Picture of Dorian Gray", Oscar Wilde
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The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of those classic books that you really can't put down: first-time readers will envy it, but it's also a great pleasure to re-read. The famous artist is inspired by the beauty of the young Dorian Gray, and he, having seen the portrait, expresses the desire for the painting to grow old, and he himself always remain young. This is what happens - now all the years, sins and vices are eating away at the portrait from the inside, and the young man himself remains just as beautiful.
"September Roses", Andre Maurois
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The main character is the aged writer Guillaume Fontaine, he has been married for 20 years, but his soul requires adventure. First he falls in love with a young artist, then with an actress and, of course, sees poetry in this. Of course, there is some drama. Guillaume evokes mixed feelings, but it is impossible to tear yourself away from the novel - Maurois so vividly describes the characters, their feelings and experiences.
"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne
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The action takes place during World War II. This is a story through the eyes of a nine-year-old German boy, Bruno, who lives carefree in a beautiful five-story house in Berlin with his family and friends. One day, Bruno comes home to find his maid Maria putting his things in a suitcase, as the family is forced to move due to his father's new assignment. But Bruno doesn’t like the new place, he goes in search of a friend and one day meets a Jewish boy, Shmuel, who lives on the other side of the fence. It turns out that they were born on the same day and have a lot in common. To help his new friend find his father, Bruno climbs over to Shmuel.
Perhaps, all the stories of the brilliant Russian writer and journalist Sergei Dovlatov can be read in one night (even less) in one sitting. These are sketches from the lives of ordinary people: in this case, the story of Marusya Tatarovich and her entourage, representatives of the “third wave” of Russian emigration. Dovlatov knows how to portray the characters’ characters with amazing irony and speaks to the reader like a contemporary. You'll laugh until you cry all night.
Which plot would you trust to fight insomnia? In other words, what books should you read before bed? Obviously: they must be thoughtful, deep, melodramatic and bright, so that after them you sleep calmly, long and restfully.
Anton Chekhov. « Letters»
The letters of a classic of Russian literature are often more interesting than his own stories. There is, perhaps, no topic that Anton Pavlovich would not cover in his large-scale correspondence with the best recipients of the turn of the century. Stories about the Sakhalin penal servitude, where Chekhov alone conducted a population census and treated the unfortunate convicts for free, reflections on love and fidelity, fame and career, money and unmercenary money - sometimes it seems that all these letters were written directly to you, the reader.
Boris Minaev is one of the most serious modern Russian writers and at the same time one of the most interesting: a journalistic background, a writing internship in children's literature (try writing for children is not interesting!). “The Psychologist, or Dr. Levin’s Mistake” is the winner of the October magazine award for 2007 and a nominee for numerous shortlists. The main character, practicing child psychologist Leva Levin, conducts a private consultation, helping children and parents solve pressing problems. Nothing, as they say, foretells trouble. Until about the fifth page... But then... A leisurely but exciting narrative that puts you in a thoughtful mood.
The problem is eternal and modern: money, passion, love, betrayal. The scenery is impressive: the American South, emerging capitalism, angry and persistent, like a purebred fighting dog. And people: weak and strong, lucky and unlucky, beautiful and smart. Everything is as always. But I still wonder: how will it end?
The novel by one of the most incisive modern American prose writers contains six stories at once: a mid-19th century traveler heading from Australia to the USA; a musician forced to live as a prostitute in the crazy world between the two world wars; a Californian journalist uncovering a business conspiracy in 1970s America; a modern publisher selling dubious books; a cloned slave from Korea and a Hawaiian goatherd from the distant (or is it still near?) future. What's this all about? The answer is Mitchell.
Even the busiest person can find time to read - after waking up, on the minibus, before bed, on the weekend. Reading will never go out of fashion - this is another reason why you should accustom yourself to this useful activity. Other benefits of reading include: expanding vocabulary, improving memory, improving analytical skills, developing imagination, increasing concentration, etc. We'll tell you why reading before bed is a great idea.
Reading before bed is a habit of successful people
Reading before bed is a good thing, and here's why:
- You'll sleep better
Reading helps you fall asleep. Remember how, as a child, you asked your parents to read a book to you to make it easier and more pleasant to fall asleep. Immersion in an imaginary world helps you tune in to the wave of sleep, relieve stress and truly sleep peacefully. It’s a shame that many people outgrow this childhood habit.
- You will be less stressed
British scientists have proven that reading, especially before bed, helps to significantly reduce stress levels - by as much as 68%. Therefore, a good book is a cheap, effective and safe way to deal with stress. And the less stress hits the body, the lower the likelihood of developing diseases provoked by it, including problems with the heart and mental disorders.
- You will become much more creative
Do you think successful entrepreneurs read practical guides to increasing profits before going to bed? In fact, what exactly you read is not so important. Research shows that the creativity that naturally develops when you immerse yourself in interesting reading helps to generate interesting ideas. The brain needs exercise - both physically and mentally, and reading before bed is a great way to exercise the mind.
- Your concentration will improve
Thousands of messages, notifications on social networks, working on a project, constant calls on a mobile phone and a number of other distractions constantly reduce a person’s ability to concentrate on the main task and complete it as efficiently as possible and in the shortest possible time. However, reading before bed literally forces us to process information without being distracted by entertaining and not very important activities on the computer and smartphone. Train your brain to concentrate: an hour or two before bedtime, turn off all gadgets and sit down with a book. When this becomes a habit, you will notice how much your concentration will improve.
- You will become a more empathetic person
Sensitive is a person who is able to look at the world through the eyes of another person and put himself in his place in order to understand the train of thought and the reasons for the person’s actions. In this case, reading is a great way to develop this skill. When we read, we often put ourselves in the shoes of the main character in the book and wonder what we would do in a given situation. We learn to better understand the actions of people, even fictional ones. However, this skill does not go anywhere - it helps us build relationships in real life. Such conclusions are supported by psychologists from Canada who conducted relevant research on this topic.
- You will have the opportunity to enjoy peace and serenity
Reading before bed allows you to distance yourself from the violence and bad news that fill the headlines of articles on the Internet and in the press. The ability to create a quiet and peaceful space, which we develop through reading, helps calm the nerves and prepare the mind for sleep, in contrast to the blue light from screens (one of the causes of circadian rhythm disruption). By the way, paper books are read 25% faster than information from the screens of various devices.
We hope we have convinced you that reading before bed is a habit that everyone can benefit from and can benefit from in their daily lives.
What is the most popular bedtime ritual for children? Reading a book on mom or dad's lap. I prepared a portion of my favorite books that my son and I read before bed. I must say that Pasha likes to read very different books at night, not necessarily about sleep :) But I chose in the selection those that are calming and incite a pleasant sleep, and added a link to the online bookstore Labyrinth or Ozone.
Books to read before bed for children
A story about what birds and animals do when the baby sleeps. At the same time, it’s about counting from 1 to 10. A square book, thick pages, very cute illustrations, the text is replete with unusual words and helps expand your vocabulary.
A wonderful calming book for kids. The light gradually goes out with each page, the clock hands move forward, and the bunny falls asleep. An interesting feature: color and black and white pages alternate. There are riddles scattered throughout the book: you can look for a mouse, study the paintings on the wall. Unfortunately, this book is not available yet, but I hope it will appear soon.
Just a super book for boys, and for girls too, if they love big cars. Here, with such care and love, construction vehicles, a moon in the twilight, a sleeping excavator are drawn... Surprisingly, decent poems. Usually in a translated book, where the illustrations are more important than the text, the poems are in the “carrot-love” spirit, but this is not the case. Although it’s not so easy to rhyme “concrete mixer” :) Pasha read it for several days in a row at least 5 times at a sitting, I also really like it.
In the same series there is a story about a train - it’s already in my cart and waiting for the next order.
5) D. Emmett “I love you always and forever” (Labyrinth)
The cutest story about a mother mouse and a mouse Shorttail, about the strength and immutability of mother’s love: “A lot changes, but I will always love you. This will remain unchanged." Pasha now plays Short-Tail (“Mom always and forever loves me too”) and asks to look for his tail.
6) “Sleepy Tales”, Rech Publishing House (Labyrinth and Ozone)
Short fairy tales are specially selected according to the plot for a comfortable fall asleep, they do not have unexpected plot twists or intrigue, these are calm stories about boys, girls falling asleep, dreams, etc. Pleasant illustrations help put you in the mood for sleep.
7) K. Chukovsky “Confusion”
I think everyone is familiar with this work by Chukovsky. It would seem to be a very dynamic rhythm, almost music, but it all ends with the words “They are rocking Murochka, my dear, bayushki-bayu, bayushki-bayu.” For our book there is a drawing of a cat in a crib, but Korney Ivanovich wrote these poems for his daughter (at home they called her Murochka) as a lullaby. Imagine how great it is - dad came up with a lullaby for you, which has been read by millions of children for many years. Our “Confusion” was given to us as a gift, and I don’t really like the illustrations, so I recommend other publications. Pasha loves this poem, we read two books in a row :) If you don’t have such a book yet, click on the pictures, they lead to the Labyrinth.
