# Is just before bed the best time to read?



## KRCox (Feb 18, 2011)

After a long stressful day, for myself anyway, I find 30 minutes of reading just before I fall asleep is a great way to relax. Is this the same for everyone, or do you have a preferred time to read?


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Anytime, but before sleeping is a best time for me  . 
When I get ready to go to bed, I am tired. I just can't read in bed, or laying flat period when its late. Its like my mind starts drifting off and I fall asleep. So I have to re-read the pages as I can't remember the next day. I tried and tried, but I just can't do it.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

It is for me.

Other than newspapers/magazines here and there, I seldom do any leisure reading at other times of the day.  I do a lot of reading and writing for work, so other free time tends to go to different activities like movies, tv, sports, video games etc., then I do some leisure reading for 30-60 minutes before sleeping to wind down.


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## anguabell (Jan 9, 2011)

It is for me. But we don't take Kindle and iPads to our bedroom, so I read and re-read "real" books. I can't even imagine going to sleep without reading for at least a few minutes!


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## QuantumIguana (Dec 29, 2010)

It is about the only time that I have free to read.


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## amy_saunders (Aug 8, 2011)

I also love to read before bed, though it can be dangerous depending on the book!


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

I love snuggling up in bed and reading!


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## Todd Trumpet (Sep 7, 2011)

Hmm, different strokes, I guess.

For me, bed is one of the _last _places I want to read.

I guess because I almost never read "to relax", but rather to be informed, stimulated, or engaged.

Besides, I'm usually asleep 5-10 minutes after my head hits the pillow, and I don't want to screw up a good thing!

Todd


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## tinytoy (Jun 15, 2011)

Just before bed is the best time for me to read because it happens to be when I am ALONE without interruptions.  I don't read in bed though. I read downstairs and then go up to bed.


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

I get to sleep much faster if I have been reading before bed. It "turns off" all of the mental recycling of the day that my brain likes to do and allows me to relax.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

I'm the same as Todd ... reading before bed makes my mind buzz so much that I cannot sleep.


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## Jon Olson (Dec 10, 2010)

I read a little before bed, but fall asleep quickly. Late afternoon, too, is bad for me. Morning, or before dinner, I can bring my best mind to it.


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## Tara Maya (Nov 4, 2010)

anguabell said:


> But we don't take Kindle and iPads to our bedroom, so I read and re-read "real" books.


Oh my, why don't you take kindle or iPads in your bedroom? The table next to my bed is SO much lighter now that I've replaced the teetering stack of books with my slender kindle!


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## davidestesbooks (Nov 4, 2011)

LOL, just before bed is the worst time for me to read because I usually don't get much further than 10 pages before falling asleep.  But I do read every night because otherwise I have trouble sleeping.  If I'm not reading, I'm thinking about whatever book I'm writing and I can't turn my mind off!


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## Sarah Woodbury (Jan 30, 2011)

I take my Kindle to bed with a book light and lie tucked on my side under the covers.  I only have to press 'next page'   Love it.


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## Seanathin23 (Jul 24, 2011)

I read in bed all the time, really the best place to do it.


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## windyrdg (Sep 20, 2010)

Not for me. A bed is designed for only two things...and one of them is sleeping. )  Reading wakes me up rather than putting me to sleep.


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## KMA (Mar 11, 2009)

I have to read at least a little bit every night. I need to distract myself with other people's stories so that I can slow my brain down enough to sleep.


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## JFHilborne (Jan 22, 2011)

Tony Richards said:


> I'm the same as Todd ... reading before bed makes my mind buzz so much that I cannot sleep.


Ditto. I like to read in the evening, but stop at least an hour before I go to bed.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

KRCox said:


> After a long stressful day, for myself anyway, I find 30 minutes of reading just before I fall asleep is a great way to relax. Is this the same for everyone, or do you have a preferred time to read?


I do think it might be my very favorite time to read, but I don't limit myself to that. 

I like being snuggled up in a dark room, with the book light as the only illumination.


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## Thomma Lyn (Oct 21, 2011)

I read every night before going to sleep. Reading helps me decompress after the day and get in a delightful period of relaxation before I drift off to dreamland.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

Finding time to read in the living room (by the fire or in front of the big windows), listening to music seems like a luxury most of the time, so bedtime is more common. I love snuggling with my K3 and SimpleLight and the other lights out. It's relaxing & very focused.

Altho if I want to go to sleep, the TV puts me to sleep fast, even if it's a movie or show I've recorded and want to see. I never make it thru something.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

MichelleR said:


> I like being snuggled up in a dark room, with the book light as the only illumination.


I love that too!


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## CJBranscome (Oct 25, 2011)

I love that Kindle makes it possible to read during "found" time. I have small kids, so I don't always have set reading times, but I get pockets of time throughout the day. I'm wondering if I can get research journals on my Kindle. I think I'd keep up better. Plus, then, I wouldn't look like a dork because reading a Kindle is much cooler than reading a research journal, lol.


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## Pawz4me (Feb 14, 2009)

Before bed is my favorite time to read, and the only reading time that I'm guaranteed to get.  As others have said, it helps me relax.  In the winter I especially enjoy crawling into bed early and spending a couple of hours reading.


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## Sherlock (Dec 17, 2008)

Any time of the day is the best time to read, but I do love just before bed because it helps me disconnect from the stress of the day and wind down.  Quiets the "voices" in my head..............anybody scared yet?  LOL


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## Math (Oct 13, 2011)

I'm so tired when I'm in bed I tend to immediately forget what I've just read. I must read books about three times over. Every night I have to go back pages and pages because I didn't process it - every night is like the longest reprise in the world. May as well just start putting the bookmark in random places....

I think people read in bed only because it is the only opportunity to actually not be distracted by something or someone when we are up - not necessarily because it is a comfy place to be. A pity that my brain has totally shut down by then!


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## Mjaydakid (Apr 3, 2011)

Although I often read in bed to help me fall to sleep, I find myself reading all the time and everywhere.  Its like a hobby to me.  However, for me, the best time to read is anytime I am in the park and the breeze is light and the water in the lake is purring gently...  Unless, of course, I am reading a horror story.  Then late in the evening with a single light next to my reading chair is best.


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## Alicia Dean (Jul 11, 2011)

I usually read in bed or in waiting rooms. I seldom have time to read otherwise.   However, for those who have trouble sleeping (and I'm one of those), studies show that reading before bed can keep you from getting a good night's sleep. (As can watching tv, even more so) They actually say that you shouldn't use your bed (or bedroom) for anything other than sleeping and...well, you know what. LOL.


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## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

I love reading before bed. I've heard it isn't a good idea b/c it wakes you up again, but in my case it always relaxes me and gets me ready for sleep.


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## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

I have a bad habit of staying up too late, but I've found that having a good book waiting on my beside table will get me to bed at a reasonable time!  Some nights I read for an hour, and other nights I'm fighting to keep my eyes open after just a few pages.  My husband has come in to find me face-down in a book, which is, if you think about it, kinda awesome.


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## Rick Gualtieri (Oct 31, 2011)

Just before bed is my favorite time to read.


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## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

I nearly always do my reading before going to sleep. Not only is my bed a good place to get comfy with a book, but my kids are finally in their beds so I can have some quiet. It's no good trying to read while they're awake. Then too, my imagination seems to work best after dark.


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## youngadultfiction (Jul 28, 2011)

It's got to the point where i have to read before i go to sleep otherwise i just can't sleep that well. It seems to just
help me relax and forget about other things. Although, if the book is good, i keep reading and reading and then don't want to sleep


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## samanthabates (Oct 11, 2011)

Always before bed, and depending on how good the book is depends on how much sleep I get!


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## Guest (Nov 12, 2011)

It used to be for me, too. But he way things are for me now, I'm SO tired by the end of the day that sitting still puts me to sleep--no matter how good the book is 

(Guess this is what three kids will do to ya?)

Anyway, for me, I really enjoy reading in the afternoons best or the EARLY evenings.

Yours in Books,
Shana


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## Shelia A. Huggins (Jan 20, 2011)

I think it's a great time to read. It gets me very relaxed, and I generally try to read for longer than I am physically able to do. I also have to go back and re-read the previous three or four pages before I start. Apparently, after a while, I start sleep-reading.


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## AllisonKraft (Sep 13, 2011)

Before bed is my favorite time to read. I'm comfy, it's quiet and there are no distractions (unless a cat decides she wants attention). The only downside is if I'm really into a book and can't put it down. I do a lot of "one more chapter... one more... might as well just finish it," and the next thing I know, it's 4am and I have to get for work in a few hours. Whoops.


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## EvaCole (Nov 7, 2011)

I have to be very careful what I read before bed.  Nothing too good, or I will be up late.  It's getting better - with my Kindle, I get to read quite a bit now, so I'm not quite so "book hungry" when I go to bed.


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## Jenn Van Hoef (Nov 13, 2011)

I've read articles that are both for and against reading before bed.  But I find that I tend to enjoy reading more when it's cold out and I can snuggle under my blankets with all the lights off except for the one on my nightstand.  It's especially nice when there's a snow storm outside.
And I usually find that reading helps me fall asleep, even if it's a really exciting book.


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## jlward (Feb 19, 2011)

I love to read right before I go to sleep. It's my favorite time.


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## Mackenzie Morgan (Dec 3, 2010)

Shelia A. Huggins said:


> I think it's a great time to read. It gets me very relaxed, and I generally try to read for longer than I am physically able to do. I also have to go back and re-read the previous three or four pages before I start. Apparently, after a while, I start sleep-reading.


I completely agree. I sometimes wake up at 3:00 in the morning with the book on my chest, my glasses still on, and the light burning beside the bed.


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## Harry Shannon (Jul 30, 2010)

I love to read during the day but rarely have the time any more. I read at night but don't get very far, too sleepy. Sigh.


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## Michelle Muto (Feb 1, 2011)

I read just about anytime, but I do find it relaxing to read right before bed.


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## mscottwriter (Nov 5, 2010)

> I have to be very careful what I read before bed. Nothing too good, or I will be up late. It's getting better - with my Kindle, I get to read quite a bit now, so I'm not quite so "book hungry" when I go to bed.


Exactly! I also have a hard time getting comfortable in bed. Before I got my Kindle, I couldn't hold an overly large book or my wrists would bother me. Now, it's my back and neck that give me troubles. Ah, aging is so much fun...not.


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## Darlene Jones (Nov 1, 2011)

Yes, unless the book is one that gets you all agitated, or one you can't put down and then you end up reading until the wee hours of the morning. Darlene Jones, Author


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## GerrieFerrisFinger (Jun 1, 2011)

I like to read the first thing in the morning, lying in bed on pillows, coffee at hand, for about an hour. I find I retain more of what I read then than at night when I'm tired.


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## yingko2 (Jul 26, 2011)

I use to love to read before bed, but now that I am ancient it seems I get about ten minutes before--thunk! I nod off into the book! 
Cheers,
Howard


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

That's when I do most of my reading. Well, also in the tub, but I was planning on sparing you guys that mental image.


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## KindleChickie (Oct 24, 2009)

I listen to audiobooks at bedtime.  Reading in bed generally doesn't work for me because I fall asleep pretty much as soon as my head hits the pillow.  Bed is for sleeping and not relaxing or lounging.  On the rare occasions that I do read in bed it is usually when I am rehabbing an illness or injury.


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## jamesmonaghan (Oct 22, 2010)

I used to read in bed all the time, but I find that since my son came along I generally read a couple of pages and zonk out. I read a lot on my transits to and from work and in the living room while my wife gets ready for bed. And in the bathroom. And in waiting rooms. And in the ten seconds it takes for my wife to go and get our guinea pig. And basically any other moment I can steal!


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## samanthawarren (May 1, 2011)

If I read before bed, I have an easier time falling asleep, but it's definitely a double-edged sword. If the book is good, I have trouble putting it down and have ended up reading until 3am on more than one occasion when I had to be up at 4:30.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

I don't have a 'best' time, but I almost always read for a while after getting in bed. Frequently, it will be something I reserve for reading at that time.

Mike


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## Meb Bryant (Jun 27, 2011)

Can't go to sleep until I read.


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## wordsmithjts (Nov 14, 2011)

I'm an avid reader, so i read whenever i get a chance. Reading before bed is something I have always done. It often gives me entertaining dreams.
I've always felt that reading is a much more personal experience than movies or television. When you read you and the author are communicating and each reader will interpret the author's world just a little bit differently. When you watch a movie you and the rest of the audience only see what the director shows you.


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## N S Cooke (Sep 27, 2011)

Definitely. Just before sleep is the best time to read. I also read in the car a lot, whilst waiting.


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## Ethan Cobb (Jun 7, 2011)

Yep.  Love reading right before bed, and while eating lunch.


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## Jim Krieger (Oct 8, 2011)

First of all, is there a bad time to read?     Okay, maybe while driving, or bomb disposal or ....... oh never mind.   I'm sure we all share the idea.  I usually read before bed and accept the dangers, usually getting hit in the face with the Kindle or the book.  But it serves to clean my conscious mind of the days aggravations.
My favorite time to read?  Looking out the window and the worst weather imaginable knowing that now I'm retired and i won't have to get in my fire truck and go out in it yet again!


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I have always found it relaxing, as well, and a great thing to do before bed.  Not sure why.  I cannot write up to an hour before bed or my brain refuses to shut off and go to sleep, but I don't have the same problem with reading.


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## Bubastes (Nov 14, 2011)

Yes and no. I read whenever I possibly can, including before bed. The problem is that if the book is particularly good, I don't want to stop reading. I had to switch to short stories for a while just so I could get some sleep.


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## Joseph_Evans (Jul 24, 2011)

Reading really helps me get off to sleep. I think it must trigger that part of the brain that is your imagination and you're all set for some vivid dreaming


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## Marie S (May 20, 2011)

I always have to read before going to sleep. Even if I'm really tired and can't keep my eyes open I just need to get in at least 5 minutes reading time. I also love to read in the bath. It's just so relaxing.


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## JR_gin (Nov 30, 2011)

Interesting topic.

I'd have to say that reading before bed is the 'standard' for me but I've turned it on its head somewhat through listening to audiobooks lately and also reading very early in the morning. Reading _before _ you get up is a real luxury, even on a working day.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

I definitely couldn't do the reading in bed in the morning thing!  I'm not a morning person at all, and even when sleeping in I loathe getting up!

My brain doesn't function well until I've been up for an hour or two.


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## Cappy (Sep 6, 2011)

I read just before I start writing too. It's like an athlete limbering up, I think


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## Julia444 (Feb 24, 2011)

Just before bed works okay for me on weekends, but during the work week, no matter how exciting the book, I last all of five minutes before I'm sawing wood.  

However, some days bedtime is the only time I have leisure to read what I want.  Maybe I'll try the ol' toothpicks between the eyelids.  


Julia


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## ChadMck (Feb 25, 2011)

There is nothing better than being able to read before you fall asleep and being able to pick the book up again when you wake up. I find myself reading longer works before bed when I have a little more time to spend with the book and shorter works during the day when I am waiting for the train or eating a meal.


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## liafairchild (Apr 2, 2011)

I have an unusual bedtime situation. My husband gets up early so he's usually asleep before I am. And he snores! It stresses me out. I've always had trouble falling asleep; my whole life. So that and the snoring combined leaves me not very relaxed. So each night I get in bed with either a book or my kindle, my night light and my sound machine. I read for 20-30 mins. or until I feel relaxed or am dozing off. Then I go to sleep.

Please don't reply with TMI. I needed to get that out. Thanks.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

liafairchild said:


> I have an unusual bedtime situation. My husband gets up early so he's usually asleep before I am. And he snores! It stresses me out. I've always had trouble falling asleep; my whole life. So that and the snoring combined leaves me not very relaxed. So each night I get in bed with either a book or my kindle, my night light and my sound machine. I read for 20-30 mins. or until I feel relaxed or am dozing off. Then I go to sleep.
> 
> Please don't reply with TMI. I needed to get that out. Thanks.


Two things to consider: a.) earplugs and b.) he may have sleep apnea that needs treating. I have the same situation; earplugs are delivered regularly to me via Amazon's Subscribe & Save service, and hubby has to use a CPAP machine. Or sleep in another house...another room isn't far enough. 

I love to read at night. My biggest issue though is getting too engrossed in a book and then you can kiss off sleep. I've been known to pull all nighters when that happens!


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## Todd Young (May 2, 2011)

I'm usually too tired to read before going to sleep. I do read in bed during the day, but even then I can fall asleep if I'm not careful.


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## Tamara Rose Blodgett (Apr 1, 2011)

It's the best time to read but if I had my druthers and didn't have to worry about bed sores, it'd be all the time!


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## sanshoku (Nov 24, 2011)

Lunch is a perfect time for me!


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

I always read before I go to sleep. 
The psychologists would say it's a bad thing to do because it stimulates the brain. But the biggest thing that stops me sleeping is worrying over tomorrow, or agonising over the day just gone. When I read I forget to do that and so when the light goes out, I go off to sleep....except for those rare times when you get a book that you just cant put down and read for far too long.


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## hamerfan (Apr 24, 2011)

KindleGirl said:


> I get to sleep much faster if I have been reading before bed. It "turns off" all of the mental recycling of the day that my brain likes to do and allows me to relax.


This!
And the cool thing about a Kindle is, if I happen to doze off while reading, I don't need to worry about needing a bookmark or finding where I left off in a book. The Kindle knows! I love it.


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## Kayden Lee (Sep 9, 2011)

I read in bed quit a lot. Love to relax that way, problem is, I take a sleeping pill, and end up having to reread a page or two the next night. I know, not the brightest! LOL


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## Susan Brassfield Cogan (Mar 25, 2011)

my husband and I listen to audiobooks for an hour or so before lights out. We used to read aloud to each other but after a while we realized we both love being read to so we got a subscription at audiobooks.com. The only problem with reading before sleep is it narrows the type of reading material. It can't be too intense or bloody or creepy. Cozy mysteries are perfect. Janet Evanovitch and Rex Stout are especially wonderful with an occasional Lisa Lutz or PG Wodehouse. There was a thread on here for a while where people tossed in suggestions for light, funny mysteries and I wrote them all down!


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## pitbullandfire (Nov 27, 2011)

I wouldn't say it's the best, but it's the most relaxing and best preparation for sleep...It helps get the trials and tribulations of work out of my head before I start the rhythmic sound of snoring for the household...


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## GerrieFerrisFinger (Jun 1, 2011)

Not before bed for me. I find in the late afternoon after writing and chores are finished and before time to start dinner.


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## MicheleShriver (May 14, 2011)

Yes. Right before bed is often the only time I have to read, and I always make a point of reading before bed because it helps me relax and turn my brain off and really helps me fall asleep faster.


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## acellis (Oct 10, 2011)

It depends on the book. Some will keep you up all night.


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