Relax with romance novels this Valentine’s Day

As Valentine’s Day approaches, romantic books have been found to be the most relaxing literary genre you can read. As modern life becomes increasingly hectic, the research from Sony shows that a romantic novel could be the perfect way to unwind and express your love this February.

The study, commissioned as the new Reader^TM from Sony hit stores, found that reading romance has the most relaxing effect on the brain compared to other book genres. Participants in the experiment read from a series of genres while their levels of relaxation, attention, emotional engagement and reading speed were tracked by monitoring cognitive brain activity, skin conductance and how fast they read each page. When reading the romantic genre, they were on average 40% more relaxed than they were with a thriller, which was found to be the least relaxing. So when you’re feeling stressed or really need to wind down, reading a romantic novel isn’t just a cliché, it engages the areas of the brain that help you relax the most – great news for busy people preparing for Valentine’s Day.

The study also found that how fast we read is affected by genre. When reading the romance genre, participants’ reading speed increased at the points in the text that are most emotionally engaging. However, in the darker genres of thriller and horror, participants’ reading slowed down when the text engaged them most.

The new Reader^TM from Sony is the perfect companion for those who want to really immerse themselves in the emotion of their books. Its snap cover and higher-resolution screen provide a natural reading experience that feels just like a real book, while its ability to store hundreds of different titles means it can cater for every possible genre and every mood. It’s available in black, white or red, making it a great alternative Valentine’s Day gift.

Jonathan Travers, Marketing Manager, Sony, said: “The study shows how reading a romantic book can take you on a journey to a more relaxing, peaceful place – perfect for when you really need to wind down after a stressful day. This Valentine’s Day, if you want to make a change from the usual chocolates or flowers, Reader^TM could be the perfect gift for the special person in your life.”

For more information on the new Reader™ from Sony, please visit: www.sony.co.uk