Reading before going to bed can promote better sleep because this relaxing activity helps reduce stress levels, promotes muscle relaxation, and allows you to disconnect from daily life, making it easier to fall asleep.
Reading a few pages of a book before sleeping allows the body and mind to slow down and adopt a more tranquil rhythm, close to sleep. Immersing oneself in a story forces the brain to focus on a single gentle activity, without demanding intense thoughts. As a result, your heart rate calms, your muscles relax, your breathing slows, and you gradually enter a state of deep relaxation. Over time, your brain becomes accustomed to associating reading with rest, which enhances a general sense of calm and sustainably improves your sleep.
Reading before bed helps to calm the body and mind by reducing the stressful thoughts that often loop at the end of the day. Immersing yourself in an interesting story or text shifts your attention elsewhere, which naturally lowers your levels of stress and anxiety. By reading regularly before sleep, you teach your brain to switch into rest mode, which reduces alertness and nighttime worries. This habit gently slows the heart rate and releases muscular tension, making falling asleep much easier.
Our screens (smartphones, tablets, computers) emit artificial blue light that tricks our brain into thinking it's still daytime. As a result, the production of the well-known sleep hormone, melatonin, is delayed. Consequently, even when very tired, we struggle to fall asleep easily, or worse, our sleep is less deep and restorative. Replacing screens with reading a good old book before bed helps avoid this trap, as paper does not emit this harmful light. The brain thus receives the right signal: "OK, you can start to fall asleep peacefully."
Reading regularly before bed quickly signals to the brain that it's time to switch to sleep mode. It's like sending a specific signal each night: "attention, imminent rest!". By repeating this every day, the body will gradually adapt and recognize this reading moment as a ritual marking the transition to rest. This clear routine calms the mind, progressively reduces the time spent tossing and turning in bed thinking about everything and nothing, and significantly improves sleep quality.
Regularly reading before sleep improves the quality of deep sleep, the phase during which your brain consolidates its memories and learning.
Reading fiction before sleep stimulates your imagination and can lead to more creative and pleasant dreams.
The blue light from screens interferes with the production of melatonin, a hormone crucial for sleep; on the other hand, a paper book or a dedicated e-reader without backlighting does not have this negative effect.
Establishing a regular reading habit before bed helps your body clearly identify the signals that indicate it's time for sleep, making the process of falling asleep quicker and easier.
If reading doesn't seem to help you, try other techniques such as meditation, listening to soothing music, or light breathing and relaxation exercises. Everyone should find the nighttime routine that suits their needs.
To avoid the harmful effects of blue light, it is recommended to limit screen use about 1 to 2 hours before bedtime. If this is not possible, use blue light filters or activate the night modes available on most devices.
It is advisable to choose relaxing and soothing readings such as a light novel, inspiring essays, or poems. Avoid overly stimulating or anxiety-inducing readings that could hinder sleep.
E-readers specifically designed for reading (like e-ink) are significantly less harmful than traditional tablet or smartphone screens, as they generally emit very little or no blue light. However, printed books remain the ideal choice for not disrupting sleep.
A duration of 15 to 30 minutes is generally sufficient to induce a state of relaxation conducive to good sleep. However, listen to your body, as everyone has different needs.
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