For Patriots, our days are busy. Between school, homework, and after school sports and activities, there is barley any extra time for any other activities in our day. When it is time to go to sleep, the first thing we want to do is pick up our phones and start scrolling.

However, putting down the phone before bed can be extremely beneficial to your mental health and to help stop you from mindlessly scrolling through social media apps. Something that can help you relax and calm down before bed is reading a book.
Reading is a healthy way to cope with whatever stress or anxiety you may be feeling. Whenever I am prepping for a big test, I always pause and read a little before I go to bed. It calms me down and helps me get a good night’s sleep.
The first few books that really got me into reading before bed were We Were Liars by E. Lockhart and the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. From there, it just took a bit of time to start finding more books like these that appealed to me.
It may take some time to find books that you are interested in like I did. Everyone has a different reading taste. But, once you get into the habit of picking up a good book instead of your phone before bed, it will be easy.
I have tried to make this a part of my nightly routine for years now. As soon as 10 o’clock rolls around, I shut off my phone and put it away for the night. Then, once my homework is done, I will read before I fall asleep.
I know reading a four to five hundred page book can be a bit intimidating, so start off small. I would recommend One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus, or if you’re looking for a non-fiction book, try The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch.
In just a few nights, you may surprise yourself and do more reading than you thought you would!
It is always good for us to spend as much time as we can away from our phones. Your phone will always be there in the morning, so why not put it down and enjoy a good book instead?