The People’s Friend reveals the wellbeing benefits of reading for just six minutes

By Jack Longrigg on Wednesday, February 21, 2024

New research by The People’s Friend magazine has revealed a strong yearning among Brits for more ‘me time’, sleep, and holidays.

A staggering 78% have expressed the need for personal time, with 18% claiming only one hour per week for themselves.

The barriers preventing people having ‘me time’ include household chores (52%), work (41%), and phone scrolling (27%).

The magazine has partnered with Lucy Beresford, an expert in the mental wellbeing benefits of reading. The partnership helped to reveal that reading for just six minutes a day can help reduce stress levels by up to 68%*. This prompted The People’s Friend magazine to launch a six-minute daily reading initiative for mental well-being.

Teaming up with celebrity Sally Lindsay, Head Judge of The People’s Friend New Writers Prize, she said: “Everyone knows how beneficial reading is, but people usually only find time for it now and again. With a short story, you can pick it up and finish it as quickly as you can a cup of tea and it brings a sense of satisfaction that you don’t get in many other places. The People’s Friend is something every writer knows, and as a writer myself, I love how it champions stories and creativity.”

The magazine’s 155th anniversary coincides with its search to discover the country’s best hidden writing talent, with the opportunity to win a bursary of £10,000 to help them launch their writing career.

The top 20 things that British adults say they don’t get enough of: