Reading can make you fall asleep easily, but what to read before bed?
According to studies, reading can improve one’s health.
It is said to increase empathy, improves memory, and reduce stress.
But remember to be able to achieve that, you need to choose books that are relaxing.
Otherwise, you will end up staying up all night to read instead of sleeping.
For instance, if you choose a thriller, chances are, you would be desperate to know how it will end.
Reading before bed is supposed to help you fall asleep faster.
As such, you need to avoid a book that will cause you to do an all-nighter or those that can make your heart beat fast.
Instead, find a calm book, just like your tea or something that can give the same feeling when you have a warm bath.
5 Tips In Choosing Books To Read Before Bed
Keep in mind the tips below in choosing books to read before bed, as they are known to help keep you relax before you fall asleep.
So, what to read before bed?
#1. It should be light
Both the real world and the world in books are often depressing and dark, but you can wrestle the darkness at some other time.
During your bedtime, you should be reading something comforting so that you can easily fall asleep.
It is not the time to read something that can break your heart.
So avoid books with heavy topics.
Also, be careful because light books might have serious subjects.
Personally, I would not read a book that deals with transphobia, homophobia, sexism, or racism before bed.
I would also stay away from those that talk about natural disasters, police brutality, suicide, sexual assault, or war.
My preference includes romance, space opera, fantasy, or feel-good fiction such as those that are about friendship.
#2. Choose something short
In my case, I tend to fall asleep after twenty minutes of reading every night.
So it would take forever for me to finish thick books.
Believe me; you wouldn’t want to be stuck with the same book for a month or so.
As such, it would be best to get books that are below 300 pages so that you can finish them in less than a week even if you only read a few pages every night.
Children’s lit, romance, and novels for a middle grade are excellent options for bedtime reading since they usually available 170 up to 300 pages.
#3. Opt for something familiar
Bedtime reading should not expand your thoughts.
In essence, you must not fire up the brain.
Again, reading is supposed to be helping it to calm down.
If you are some who can be soothed by cozy mystery, then get those kinds of books.
But if you like reading historical romance, then it would be the right option.
Basically, you should get books that you are used to.
Those that you would normally read and not anything new to you.
#4. A page-turner is recommended – but not too much
A book that balances the calmness and the thrill is hard.
You will not like a book that you can hardly stop reading and put down.
But of course, you also wouldn’t want something too slow.
When we say comfort bedtime reading, it should be easy, engaging, light, and fun.
Those are the books that you might not want to put down, but you can if you choose to.
Just like romance, for example, it is full of suspense.
You would want to know if two people can overcome their insecurities, chose to be together, and share a kiss at the ending.
Suspense need not be all about monster-eating humans that the protagonists have to fight against in fiery pits.
Other than romance, some books about friendship and family also have the right balance.
The same is true with fantasy or science fiction that is character-driven.
#5. Only happy endings
The characters in the book must not have tragic ends.
Well, for a little bit of tension, they may get into trouble but turns out to be safe in the end.
There should be no dark twists leaning to unexpected endings nor unresolved mysteries.
The book must not also have cliffhangers.
Also, remember that there is a tendency that the book will make you cry for reasons other than happiness, then it is not good for bedtime reading.
It’s A Wrap!
If you love reading, for sure, you already have tried various books of every genre.
But what to read before bed?
In my case, the books that I read before bedtime are pretty much alike.
When it is time to go to bed, I feel like I am too exhausted for a book that is too complicated or challenging.
Our brain would appreciate it if we will use the time before bed for something that is not stressful.
Believe me, the last thing that you need to end your day is a book that will stimulate your brain to think.