Are You Really Relaxing During Your Downtime?

"I have sought peace everywhere, and found it only with a book, in a nook."

 -- Thomas à Kempis

There is something to be said for relaxing and reading a good book. The joy of reading after a long, stressful day brings a sense of peace and tranquility to our otherwise busy lives. It allows us to step into another world melting stress away and calming the mind. In fact, studies have shown that reading even six minutes can reduce stress levels by more than two-thirds!   

I've recently been rediscovering the joy and relaxation of reading after I received Barnes & Noble's NOOK GlowLight Plus! I had truly forgotten how relaxing reading can be, and now unwinding in the evenings with a good book has become an evening ritual. My evening routine used to consist of preparing dinner, cleaning-up, doing laundry, and running errands, if necessary. Then I would surf the web until I couldn't keep my eyes open any more and head off to bed. Sure, surfing the web may sound somewhat relaxing, but I always end up checking my work email. See, I said "work." The sad thing is, it wasn't until I  received my NOOK GlowLight Plus, that I realized my downtime wasn't very relaxing!  

The e-ink display is better for your eyes and easier to read in the sun!

After doing some research online, I discovered that feeling more relaxed wasn't just my imagination. Research has shown that reading works better and faster to relieve stress, even more than going for a walk, listening to music or sipping a cup of tea. And, when you are reading a book your heartrate drops and tense muscles relax as well. I never would have guessed it, but it sure explains why I've become obsessed with finding time to spend on my NOOK. It's good for both your mind and body!

There are so many wonderful reasons why I love my NOOK eReader, so I decided to make a list of my favorite features:

1. Lightweight. The NOOK is incredibly lightweight and thin, making it easy to cradle it in the palm of your hand. 

2. Flexible Lighting/Crisp Text. The soft ambient glow of my NOOK makes it easy to read anywhere and at anytime! Words appear to jump off the screen with its high resolution. But that's not all. It's designed so you can read in the dark, dim light AND outside in bright sunlight! Yup, you can read by the pool while on vacation with its no-glare screen.

3. Waterproof & Dustproof. Not only can you read your NOOK while lounging by the pool, you don't have to worry about it getting wet. The NOOK GlowLight Plus is waterproof! Of course, you don't want to throw it in the ocean as salt water would damage it, but it's nice to know that if my water bottle spills over or my son decides to do a canon-ball into the pool, my NOOK can get wet and still be alright. I think being dustproof speaks for itself. Love it!

4. Portable. At just 6.9 oz, the NOOK fits right into your handbag or jacket pocket to make on-the-go reading a breeze!

5. Long Battery Life. This is awesome! You can read up to 8 weeks on a single charge. That means you can leave the charger at home when you take it with you on vacation - no worries!  

6. No Advertisements. Pet peeve-free! I get annoyed when I visit sites with pop-up ads. You won't find them on the NOOK GlowLight Plus. Thank goodness! 

7. Expansive Book Store. - I'll never get bored with Barnes & Noble's vast content catalog with over 4 million books and a wide selection of magazines and newspapers!

 

The sleek and chic aluminum body is not only beautiful, but durable.

The list goes on and on.... There are also several fonts to choose from should you prefer a smaller or larger font.

"I'm sorry. I'd love to go out this evening, but I have plans."

Yes, you may find yourself turning down social engagements in order to spend the evening with your NOOK. Alright, I'm being silly, but it sure is tempting. If you get a NOOK GlowLight Plus, you'll see what I mean!

A chilly night calls for reading by the fire! Sweet!

The lasagna is in the oven, the kitchen is cleaned up and I have about 20 minutes to indulge in reading my NOOK before dinner. Hubby was nice enough to start a fire. 

Relax. Unwind. Sweet dreams!

Ahhhh....My favorite part of the evening. I make myself a hot cup of tea and cozy up with NOOKie! Hubby is usually working late in the office or watching football, so it's a good time for us to relax together.  NOOKie's my endearing nickname for my NOOK. {winky face} 

Now those of you who know me and follow my blog, know that I'm not a fan of cooking or baking. However, we had an abundance of apples from our orchard this year, and I couldn't let them go to waste. So, I've been busy canning over the last few weeks and wondering what am I going to do with 20+ jars of apples!? You can only eat so many apples pies. 

Well, today I used my NOOK to search for cookbooks with apple recipes and look what I found! "The Totally Apples Cookbook!" (See the book above.) I'm confident I'll find good apple recipes there. The NOOK provided sample pages so that I could get a feel for the content of the recipe book before deciding to purchase it. All book purchases can be made directly from my NOOK and I'll always have my books (recipes and others) right at my fingertips! I'm really obsessed with my NOOK. Can you tell? 

I am soooo in LOVE with my NOOK that it will be featured in our Holiday Gift Guide 2015! It couldn't be more PERFECT! We all have that one friend or family member who is impossible to find a gift for, right? Well, giving the gift of relaxation for the mind, body and soul all rolled into a Barnes & Noble NOOK, is the best gift EVER! Don't you think? Even a family member who is not computer savvy will find the NOOK easy to navigate! Simply click "Library" and your favorite books are one touch away!

Well, I hope I've given you a glimpse into the world of owning a NOOK GlowLight Plus. If you would like more information, please visit NOOK's site HERE. You will DEFINITELY want to CHECK OUT THE SPECIAL OFFERS TAB for discounts! 

Special thanks to Barnes & Noble for sponsoring today's post and inspiring me to try NOOK GLOWLIGHT PLUS. I couldn't be happier and am enjoying it tremendously! 

  xoxo,