A library is a hospital for the mind

Sometimes life can be harsh, and at times feel impossible. It’s hard to deal with our everyday lives of chaos and work. We worry mostly because we are too busy worrying about all the things we have left to do. I know I have suffered from this kind of stress in all places in my life from school, work, and even to have a planned workout schedule. Are there any cures for those of us who can’t seem to relax enough to endure this journey we have chosen?

“Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life” (Mortimer J. Adler). Can this be true? Is it okay for us to get lost in a world of fiction? In recent studies by the University of Sussex, they made their test subjects stress levels raise and then gave them samples of music books as well as many different things, to see if it would calm them efficiently and quickly. Researches have found that if you read at six minutes a day it will decrease your stress levels by two thirds. It doesn’t matter if you read the newspaper, picture book both work extremely faster than listening to music. However, the question arises where can you find good books, in a hurry?

Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, as well as several others have produced a bestsellers list. The Amazon, and Barnes and Noble list range from Stephenie Meyers Twilight, to John Grishams The Appeal. Regardless of what you’re looking for you can find it. Most book sale websites have a next purchase recommendation, which is a nice thing to have. Most websites will offer a preview as in, excerpts of one of the chapters you’re looking into reading. Another reliable source is going into the bookstore; many of the employees get to read the books before they come out. Also if you don’t feel like buying a book, the local library in your area would be another suggestion. And if they don’t have it they’ll ship it in and reserve it for you.

Regardless of where you get your books, or what’s hot, or not. There is something for everyone, and since its been proven to reduce stress why wouldn’t you want to grab a book and relax. It only takes six minutes, which is less time in comparison to several other relaxers. We all want to be happy, and apparently getting lost in fiction is actually healthy for you. So the next time your stressed and feel the world falling apart, remember tranquility is within a few pages.