“Cosy Season Reads: How a Self Care Box and a Good Book Can Boost Your Mental Health” is a collaborative post.
As the nights draw in and the crisp autumn air settles over the UK, there could hardly be a better time to embrace the magic of “cosy season”.
Imagine it: a rainy afternoon, a warm blanket, a steaming cup of tea… and a good book in hand. Add to this mix a thoughtfully curated self-care box, and you will have an excellent recipe for nurturing your mental health during the chillier and bleaker months.
But how exactly does the combination of joyful reading and the indulgence of a self-care box help cultivate a sense of calm and boost your wellbeing?
Let’s answer that question.
The Power of Reading for Mental Health
Reading might seem to be a very simple and unassuming activity, but it has long been hailed as a gateway to relaxation and mental clarity.
Studies back up this conviction; research undertaken by Mindlab International at the University of Sussex, for example, found that just six minutes spent reading was enough to lower stress levels by 68%. This made it more effective than listening to music (61%), sipping a cuppa (54%), taking a walk (42%), or playing videogames (21%).
Why, then, does reading seem to pack so much more power than other activities for achieving relaxation and mental wellness?
Experts have suggested it could have much to do with the level of concentration that reading requires – which in turn, engages the imagination and stimulates creativity. This allows for the emergency “fight or flight” response to be shut down, and the stress hormones to dissipate.
What People Say About the Wellness Benefits of Reading
There is anecdotal evidence, too. Ask any passionate reader, and they will tell you that diving into a novel or memoir gives them a mentally invigorating and often much-needed escape from the hustle of daily life – even if they are “just” getting through one chapter during their Tube commute.
Whether the reader in question is flicking through a non-fiction title like Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now on their way to the office, or perhaps curled up at home with a classic novel such as Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, books have the power to transport us to alternative worlds.
In the process, reading can greatly help spark unexpected ways of thinking, provide perspective, and drive inspiration, by giving a renewed and heightened sense of what is possible in our lives.
What Is a Self-Care Box, And What Does It Contain?
A self-care box is like a hug in a package – a curated collection of items designed to pamper and soothe. Such a box can contain any of a broad range of self-care essentials, such as – but not necessarily limited to – scented candles, bath salts, herbal teas, and journals.
Indeed, also available are self-care boxes that are specifically aimed at bookworms. You might find such a box that includes items like – as well as a book of the purchaser’s choice – a tote bag, a “love heart” mug, teabags, and a postcard with a handwritten personal message, to cite just some of the possibilities.
How Does a Self-Care Box Containing a Book Work Its Magic?
Ultimately, the beauty of a self-care box lies in its ability to create a ritual. Beginning with lighting a lavender-scented candle before sipping a chamomile tea and wrapping themselves in a soft throw, and only then finally opening their book, the recipient of a self-care box can transform a single reading session into a holistic self-care experience.
When all this is considered alongside the power that a self-care box – combined with a well-chosen book – can have to engage multiple senses and encourage “me-time” amid a fast-moving culture at an often cold and dark time of year, it becomes all the clearer why this particular mix can be so effective in boosting mental health.
So, why not make time for self-care with simple daily habits like these, and invest in a self-care box, whether for yourself or others? Either way, it is a decision that will give you a warm inner glow, and for which your mind will thank you.
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