How reading can make you happier and less stressed and depressed
- Research by the University of Liverpool found that those who read regularly had higher levels of self-esteem and were better at coping with challenges
- It is not just a solo activity. Book clubs are an excellent way to meet new people, express your opinions and share your love of books with others
Clare Drummond looks forward to her Ladies’ Circle Hong Kong Book Club meetings. Once a month, the group gathers to discuss specific works that they have read. Drummond loves these meetings because they’re a chance for her to share her biggest passion: reading.
“I’ve been an avid reader since I was a child,” says Drummond, who is originally from the UK and has lived in Hong Kong for about seven years. “I read every day and get through one book a week. I like fiction and books that are based on facts, like biographies and autobiographies. I love the feeling of escapism that comes from losing myself in someone else’s story.”
Reading might feel boring or like a chore to some people, but Drummond calls it her “wellness ritual” because it improves her mood. She is not wrong – a host of studies in recent years have found that reading could actually make you happier.
In one study done by the University of Liverpool in the UK, for instance, researchers surveyed more than 4,000 adults and found that those who read regularly were less stressed and less depressed, had higher levels of self-esteem, and were better able to cope with challenges.
According to the report, which was released in 2015, readers said that the best tonic for a low mood or anxiety was reading a book. In fact, they preferred reading to taking a head-clearing walk, having a sympathetic chat with friends or watching TV.