5 Surprising Benefits of Reading Romance Novels
Listen. #BookTok is an entity and community all on it’s own. It is fiercely loyal, and I would argue, really good for your mental health.
Romance novels can help improve self-confidence. Whether it’s by simply reading about a heroine who overcomes challenges, or by having characters that model assertive behavior, romance novels can boost confidence. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that women who read romance novels were more likely than non-readers to feel positively about themselves and their romantic relationships.
Reading romance novels can help to relieve stress. The same 2012 study found that women who read romance novels were less likely than non-readers to feel stressed. A 2009 study published in the journal Psychological Science showed that reading literary fiction can reduce stress levels by up to 68 percent. Reading romance novels can help you fall asleep faster and sleep better. A 2011 study published in the journal Sleep Medicine found that people who read a passage of prose before bed fell asleep faster and slept longer than those who didn’t read anything before bedtime.
Reading romance novels will increase your sex drive. According to a 2012 study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, women who read romance novels were more likely than non-readers to experience an increase in sexual desire. Reading romances can also help you work through conflicts with your partner or loved ones. A 2007 study found that reading literary fiction causes people to go through “theory of mind” exercises that help them empathize with others and understand how their actions affect those around them.
Romance novels can help you feel less lonely. A 2017 study found that women who read romance novels were less likely to be lonely than those who didn’t. The researchers suspect that this is because reading about romantic relationships helps readers feel connected to other people.
Romance novels can make you more relaxed. A 2014 study found that reading romance novels can reduce stress and anxiety, even if you don’t identify as a “romance reader.” The researchers suspect that this is because the books give readers an escape from their own lives. They also offer a fantasy world where problems are solved quickly and easily, which can make it easier to deal with real-world problems later on. Romance novels may improve your memory. A 2018 study found that people who read romantic fiction had better recall of specific details about characters than those who didn’t read any romance novels.
Reading romance novels can be a beneficial experience in several ways. They provide an escape from the real world, and they offer a fantasy world where problems are solved quickly and easily. HEA's (Happily Ever After's aka books that end happily) required or not, everyone can benefit from adding romance to their TBR (to be read) list!