The Unexpected Stress-Killer

Though there’s some debate over just what role stress plays in headache and migraine, we all know that we don’t want too much of it.  And when we’re down and out and in dealing with headache and other symptoms, we usually want to keep our stress to a minimum.

Researchers in the UK at the University of Sussex recently completed a study to find out what were the best stress-killers of them all, especially considering the common ones.  You know, going for a walk, going for a coffee, reading a book, listening to music, etc.

I have to admit, I couldn’t have predicted the results.

I won’t keep you in suspense any longer.  The greatest stress-buster was … reading!

That’s right, it lowered heart rates, eased muscle tension.  It beat out every other tested method of lowering stress.  Incredible!

Here’s a comparison of the results:

Here are my top tips to get you killing stress via the written word:

• Carry a book with you.  Read in lines, while waiting in the parking lot, at a break at work…
• Have two or three different books handy.  Sometimes you feel like one thing when you’re sick, another when you’re feeling better.
• Try something that will allow you to escape a little when reading right before bed, some kind of fiction is great.
• Reading before bed is a great way to relax.  It relaxes you far better than focusing on a bright screen (which says "WAKE UP! WAKE UP!")
• Buy a Kindle 2.  I know, it’s expensive.  But it’s amazing.  Sometimes I wonder if a migraineur developed it.  It’s incredibly easy on the eyes, you can change the size of the font so it’s comfortable, and even get the thing to read to you if you want to close your eyes!  Plus there are thousands of free books you can read on it once you own it.  The video doesn’t do it justice, but check it out here.

via Health Alert — Read to Save Your Life and Reading ‘can help reduce stress’