More Reading for Well-Being

Ask the Professional

by Joanna Pozzulo, Ph.D.

Reading provides several health benefits, including improving sleep quality, reducing stress, slowing cognitive decline, and improving overall wellbeing. Book clubs can offer additional reading benefits of a sense of community,includingconnectednessanddecreasingloneliness.

Over 15,000 self-help books are published yearly. It's difficult to sift through so many books. So, I created the Reading for Well-Being Community Book Club housed on a digital platform through the Mental Health and Well-Being Research and Training Hub at Carleton University. The book club is for anyone interested in evidence-based books to improve well-being. Book club members receive a monthly newsletter about the new book selection, my review (Professor Pozzulo’s Picks) and questions about the book for the electronic discussion. There are no fees, and you can sign up at: https://carleton.ca/mental-health/mewerths-reading-for-well-being-community-book-club. HerearesomeofmyfavouritepicksandwhyIlikethem.

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker. He helps us understand sleeping patterns and their function by talking about what happens to your brain and body when you sleep and when you don’t sleep. He also provides strategies for improved sleep. I liked this book because it gives an in-depth discussion of sleep, and you don’t need to read every chapter to benefit from it. The bottom line is that sleep is the foundation for well-being Make sure you get sufficient quantity and quality sleep.

Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross. It explores how various forms and engagement with art can change brain function and ultimately improve health. They examine the field of neuroaesthetics, a scientific investigation of how the arts can alter the brain, body, and behaviour. They provided a fascinating examination of how the arts can positively influence well-being, improve overall health, and help communities thrive. The authors offer several suggestions for incorporating the arts into daily life. Reading is a form of art and counts as a medium to receivethebenefitsofart!

The

Positive Shift: Mastering

Mindset

to Improve Happiness, Health, and Longevity by Catherine A. Sanderson. She states that our level of happiness is connected to how “we think about ourselves and the world around us.” In other words, our mindset. By making small changes, we can increase our happiness. The book is chock-full of simple strategies and the science behind them to “shift your mindset.” My favourite strategy was “read a book you love!”. There were great chapters on aging, memory, and health. Hint:don’tgiveintothestereotypes!Mindsetmatters!

Choosingyourownbook

If you'd like to pick out your self-help book, take a look at the credentials of the author(s). What makes them an expert? Also, check whether the claims being made are supported by empirical research or if the author(s) only uses anecdotal or personal stories. Keep in mind that approaches thathaveworkedforonepersonmayonlyworkforsome.