When thinking about our well-being and taking care of ourselves, some things that we should do are harder than others. Reading is one of the easier ones. You can do it in your most comfortable clothes, in your most comfortable chair.

You can read anything you want for positive health effects. So, it doesn’t matter if you read a book about how to fish, a biography about a great coach, or a classic work of fiction. The more relevant, interesting, and enjoyable it is to you personally, the better.

1. Reading is a good stress management strategy.

Reading allows you to de-stress by unplugging and escaping. In one study, reading was found to be as effective as yoga and humor in reducing subjective feelings of stress over a 30-minute period.

Note that a good old-fashioned book or a dedicated eBook reader is the best way to do this, but if you are using a tablet, phone, or computer on which to read, shut down other programs and turn off notifications. Distractions and disruptions interfere with reading’s stress management properties.

2. Reading protects brain health.

In a longitudinal study of individuals aged 64 and over, those who read at least once a week were less likely to experience cognitive decline than those who did not. Another study found that cognition in those over 80 was protected by activities such as reading.

Additionally, readers may live longer than non-readers. One study found that book readers lived longer than non-book readers and this was hypothesized to be due to the effect that reading has on maintaining cognitive abilities over time.

3. Reading is an effective part of mental health treatment plans.

Bibliotherapy, or the use of various reading materials for the promotion of psychological health, is a well-known adjunct to mental health treatment. This can be a powerful strategy and has been used successfully to reduce depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, health anxiety symptoms, insomnia, and stress.

4. Reading a book before bed can help you get to sleep.

Reading can be an important bedtime ritual for anyone – not just kids. For adults, reading a book before bed can reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and increase sleep duration. Note that the operative term here is book.

Reading from a tablet or eBook readers, increases alertness and delay sleep onset, decreases melatonin secretion. Consequently, a good old-fashioned book is your best pre-bed reading option.

The benefits of reading are innumerable and reading is a low to no-cost activity. Cheap and no-cost books are everywhere. If you aren’t a natural reader, you have nothing to lose by giving it a try.