Is your next holiday to sunnier climes already booked and marked in your calendar? You can take off on a three-week summer holiday or a long weekend away in the sun. But books will usually take up a portion of our suitcases. Of course, we’ll pack swimming essentials, a cap and sun cream. But some of us will probably plan our holiday reading material well in advance. It might sound weird, but the reality is… many of us turn into bookworms whilst lounging in the heat? We’ve got an entertaining guide looking at why this might be…
Turning pages on the sun can send us into a state of relaxation
There are some usual suspects when it comes to holiday reads, with bookstores dedicating entire displays to showcase some of the best sunny reads. Perhaps you’ll want to liven up the tranquillity of your lounger overlooking the pool with a thrilling crime fiction novel. Or maybe you want to boost your relaxation by getting clued up on all things relating to mindfulness. Our imagination can run wild when our minds are invested in a good book, and it can feel like an escape of sorts. Many 9-5 jobs now involve hefty shifts spent set upon the glare of a computer screen, thinking only about what dinner that evening will be. In fact, a holiday spent reading can refocus our minds, so we return to work refreshed. Further to this, there are ongoing studies into whether brain-stimulating activities like reading or puzzle solving could help prevent the early stages of Alzheimer’s. While we savour our annual dose of warmer climes, we are also guilty of returning to our hotel rooms to enjoy our poolside reads in peace and quiet, escaping the intense heat.
Holiday reads can promote a detox from our phones
However, in recent years, reading on holiday has become more like a competition. Holidaymakers are eager to share pictures of their pile of beach reads, almost as if they are trying to out-do each other. While we all intend to limit time spent on social media, enjoying a phone-detox in the sun isn’t as simple as it used to be. People are picking the phone up purely to let others back at home know what pages they are turning. And in some cases a book placed carefully on the end of a sun lounger is purely for decoration! There was even a sentiment felt by holidaymakers that clutching the cover of a certain title was impressive. Popularity compilations never neglect to include a Sophie Kinsella novel, or a classic such as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.
Reading and following a story is a habitual act
Most of us are taught to read from a relatively young age, so we are no strangers to getting glued to the pages as a story unfolds. Up to 75% of parents wish that their children would read more for fun, and so books are an encouraged item when it comes to packing for adults as well as children. Our lives are busier than ever, so making time for reading may seem difficult; yet despite this, surveys found that 51% of UK adults read at least one book in 2018, and on average shoppers bought 9 physical books in this time. Therefore, reading is still high on many people’s agendas, despite the modern culture of work-life domination.
Reading technologies can allow us to take a library of books on holiday
Nothing really compares to the feeling of crisp, printed pages. But many people have cottoned on to the popularity of reading technologies. The emergence of e-books and hand-held electronic devices has revolutionised our traditional perception of reading. It’s a less bulky, convenient way to read. With the ability to download and store books, the kindle became a library. Also, often the titles are cheaper to purchase in their digital format. They are a genuine holiday essential with a whole host of travel savvy options available, but the print industry has not wavered in spite of this.
Whether we choose to pack a couple of our favourite paperbacks, or we slip a sleek electronic book into our hand luggage along with our favourite teabags, we do love a good read beneath a warmer sun.
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