Night 7 of the 24-day Tahoe Reading Advent Calendar

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Thursday night is the seventh night of the Cuppa Tahoe/South Lake Tahoe Library's 24-day Tahoe Reading Advent Calendar. Tonight's bedtime reader is healthcare professional and public figure, Casey Costa. She is reading tonight with her son Brody.

"Reading with my son helps us unwind from an overly stimulating day and provides nightly uninterrupted quality time together," said Casey.

They are reading "Sneezy the Snowman."

Did you know that you could help reduce your holiday stress and cut tension in half by reading a book before bed?

Not only is reading an essential part of learning but reading a book for leisure is a habit that can help with many other things including memory, speech, creativity, and more. Many readers already enjoy grabbing a book during the daylight hours but reading at night can be just as beneficial.

Grabbing a book before bed helps de-stimulate the brain. One study found that people who read before bed improved their sleep quality compared to those who did not. Reading before bed helps increase melatonin production by relaxing the body and relieving the thoughts that keep you awake.

To celebrate bedtime reading, join Cuppa Tahoe and the South Lake Tahoe Library for a 24-day Tahoe Reading Advent Calendar.

Day 1 was South Lake Tahoe Mayor Crisit Creegan.
Day 2 was South Lake Tahoe Library Director Katharine Miller.
Day 3 was Tahoe Blue Vodka Co-Owner Melody Stifler Levitt.
Day 4 was Sierra-at-Tahoe General Manager John Rice
Day 5 was Professional Climber Timmy O'Neill
Day 6 was Cowork Tahoe and Unthethered Owner David Orr

What is this you ask?

It's all about books. For the 24 days before Christmas, Cuppa Tahoe will feature a local sharing their love for reading. There will be a nightly video of the reader on their Instagram and Facebook pages, including city officials like South Lake Tahoe Mayor Cristi Creegan, athletes, and other familiar faces.

A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68 percent. It's relaxing and lowers your heart rate. Reading at night before bed can have a profound effect on your sleep quality.

Remember our parents reading us a bedtime story, or perhaps you did with your kids?

"Reading takes us out of our world (and minds) and into another world inside the pages of a book, said the National Alliance for Mental Health in their review of the study. “With a film or TV show, you’re given the visuals whereas with a novel you’re inventing them yourself, so it’s actually much more of a powerful event because you’re involved.”

While you might find reading enjoyable at any time of day, reading before bed can offer some particular benefits. At the very least, it’s a low-key activity that can help you wind down when you don’t feel entirely ready to sleep, said the health publication, Healthline.

It could, however, do quite a bit more, from easing emotional distress to promoting a more relaxed and peaceful state of mind.

The 24-day Tahoe Reading Advent Calendar is aimed at supercharging the health of our community and cutting down on our collective stress.

Help Cuppa Tahoe spread the cause by posting a photo/video of you reading to your social media or choice with the hashtag #TahoeReadingAdventCalendar. Follow them on Instagram and South Tahoe Now will be featuring the readers. The nightly post on Instagram will be around 5 p.m - 6 p.m. through Dec. 24.

As author Neil Gaiman says, “A book is a dream that you hold in your hands.”

What's on your nightstand?