What is it about reading before bedtime that is so relaxing? Propped on a pillow, snuggled up in your favourite pyjamas, a good book on your lap – the appeal is self-explanatory. That’s why we’ve rounded up ten titles to help you unwind before you catch some shut-eye.
It’s been proven that reading can help to improve your health in many different ways. Reading can help to decrease blood pressure and lower heart rate. In fact, studies have shown that reading for as little as six minutes before bedtime reduces stress by 68%.
With this in mind, the research team at OTTY Sleep have brought together the best bedtime reading books for a peaceful night sleep (if you can put them down)! Sometimes it’s as simple as swapping a nighttime social media scroll for a good book.*
Quiet by Fearn Cotton
Do you think you could have a more positive mindset? This read from Sunday Times Bestselling author Fearn Cotton provides expert advice for those who feel overwhelmed by modern society’s demands.
Mental health affects one in four people, but through reading, you can bring down stress levels, sleep better and improve productivity. Fearn creates a well-rounded experience for readers which provides techniques to quiet the mind, relax the body, help you to let go of everyday stress and ‘tame the bad inner voice’.
Price: £4.99 Paperback
Buy here: Amazon
Publication date: 26th December 2019
Be Calm: Proven Techniques to Stop Anxiety Now by Jill Weber
If you’re someone who struggles with anxiety at bedtime, then Be Calm: Proven Techniques to stop Anxiety Now is a hugely popular read that reduces panic symptoms, avoidance behaviour and worried thoughts.
In a tone, both educational and deeply personal, Psychologist Jill Weber implements useful and practical strategies to help readers control anxiety symptoms through evidence-based techniques and studies.
Price: £12.55 Paperback
Buy here: Amazon
Publication date: 19th March 2019
Ikigai by Hector Garcia, Francesc Miralles
For those with insomnia, getting out of bed in the morning is always a challenge, especially on a cold, groggy winter day.
‘Ikigai’ is the Japanese phrase for a reason to jump out of bed in the morning, something we have all struggled to find during the coronavirus lockdown. This book by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles helps readers discover their own ‘Ikigai’, a motivational reason to find joy and meaning in every single day.
Price: £9.79 Hardcover
Buy here: Amazon
Publication date: 7th September 2017
The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar
If you prefer relaxing fantasy fiction, this book is the perfect pick. Author Imogen Hermes Gowar takes you on a journey back to London 1785, where readers come up against engaging characters filled with obsession and passion.
The story follows merchant Jonah Hancock and high society member Angelica Nealas as they move in opposite social circles, until the arrival of a mythical creature pushes them both onto the same path.
Price: £8.99 Paperback
Buy here: Waterstones
Publication date: 24th January 2019
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
If you want to silence the mind and reduce anxiety before bedtime, then you need to pick up the Sunday Times bestseller The Beekeeper. The fiction story explores the broken lives of a family separated by war and confronted by pain, loss and danger in a journey to find each other again.
Price: £7.49 Paperback
Buy here: Waterstones
Publication date: 20th February 2020
Grown Ups by Marian Keyes
We’re creeping up on a year of lockdown. That’s almost 365 days of uncertainty, staying home and life-altering changes to society. If you’re seeking escapism, reading is a handy tool in maintaining a sense of calm.
The Sunday Times No1 Bestseller Grown Ups provides readers with an adventure into another life, through Johnny Casey’s journey, his brothers Ed and Liam, their talented wives and children whom they spend lots of time together.
The family’s lives unravel as Ed’s wife Cara, gets a concussion and can’t keep her thoughts and feelings to herself – with uncontrolled thoughts comes a lot of unwanted drama for the characters.
Price: £4.49 Paperback
Buy here: Amazon
Publication date: 6th February 2020
No Such Thing as Normal by Bryony Gordon
If you feel like you’re in a physical and mental state of lockdown fatigue, infuriated by the news cycle, the uncertainty of the pandemic and staying home – well you are not alone. Many people worldwide are experiencing loneliness during lockdown, affecting children and adults’ mental health and well-being.
Author Bryony Gordon released No Such Thing as Normal to provide readers with practical advice on coping with mental health effects. The book targets subjects such as sleep, addiction, worry, medication, self-image, boundary setting, therapy, learned behaviour, mindfulness, walking, and talking.
Price: £11.99 Hardback
Buy here: Whsmith
Publication date: 7th January 2021
The Psychopath by Mary Turner Thomson
Based on a true story, The Psychopath uncovers the shattered life of Mary Turner Thomson, the beloved wife who discovered her husband was a bigamist, con man and sex offender. The story follows Mary as she begins a new chapter in her life, helping others stay clear of her ex-husband’s devastating ways.
Price: £3.99 Paperback
Buy here: Amazon
Publication date: 1st March 2021
*Kindle copies available for all the above books
10 of the Best Audiobooks on Spotify In 2021
If reading isn’t your thing and you prefer winding down to an audiobook, why not take a look at the latest audiobook releases on Spotify.
With professional and celebrity narrators, easy accessibility and new collections available, there is no better time to get into audiobooks. The research team at OTTY Sleep have shared Spotify’s latest collection, which is the perfect solution to sleepless nights.
- The Invisible Man by Bart Wolfee
- Bartleby the Scrivener by Laurence Olivier
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerland, Michael Shannon
- A hunger Artist by Lotte Lenya
- A Scandal in Bohemia by Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce
- Worlds by Celia Johnson, Virginia Woolf
- Mrs. Dalloway by Celia Johnson, Virginia Woolf
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
If Find out more by clicking the link: https://otty.com/
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