Summer Reading = up, stress = down.

Sun, 06/14/2009 - 2:16pm by sherlonya

Library summer reading programs evolved from studies that show that students who do not read during the summer lose some of the gains that they made during the previous academic year.

Translation: children who read during the summer do better in school in the fall.

But what does reading do for adults? A newer study states that reading can help reduce stress. According to the study, “Subjects only needed to read, silently, for six minutes to slow down the heart rate and ease tension in the muscles.”

Reading is not the only way. Other activities were shown, during this study to reduce stress.

Listening to music reduced the levels by 61 per cent, taking a walk by 42 percent.
Playing video games brought them down by 21 per cent from their highest level but still left the volunteers with heart rates above their starting point.

I wonder what happens if you put them all together. What if you walk to your local AADL branch and participate in one of the gaming events or peruse a magazine while you’re there, then walk home?