Boost Your Brain, Beat Stress, and Sleep Better—All From a Little Box of Books in the Park
by Pia Erwine, SPNA Communications & Community Outreach Committee
I always love checking out our Little Free Library nestled within Stuyvesant Square Park West and located near the entrance on 16th Street and Rutherford Place. I recently noticed that it was low on books, and as a reader, this immediately prompted me to donate some titles to share with the community.
Did you know that engaging with books from our Little Free Library can have numerous positive effects on your health? Some include:
Stress Reduction: Reading can decrease stress levels by 68 percent, helping to relax the mind and body
Cognitive Preservation: Regular reading is associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline in older adults
Longevity: Individuals who read books have approximately a 20 percent lower risk of mortality compared to non-readers
Improved Sleep: Reading before bedtime can enhance sleep quality by lowering stress and promoting relaxation
Enhanced Empathy: Reading literary fiction can improve the ability to understand and share the feelings of others
Our Little Free Library in Stuyvesant Square Park invites you to take a book, leave a book, and enjoy the myriad benefits of reading. Take a look at some of the new titles I’ve left there, including The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, and a few others. Happy reading!