Ever feel like your brain is running on empty and the thought of adding one more thing to your plate, like reading a book, feels impossible? You’re not alone, mama. But what if picking up a book, even for just six minutes a day, could lower your stress, boost your mood, and help you feel more like you again?

In this week’s episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr. Renee White talks about the science behind reading and why it’s more than just a form of escapism. It is a hormonal hack for your mental health. From oxytocin to dopamine, reading triggers a cascade of feel-good hormones that can help balance the chaos of motherhood. Renee also shares her own journey back into reading after having babies and offers practical tips on how to carve out time for books, even on the busiest days.

You’ll hear about:

• The science of reading and mental health – How just six minutes with a book can reduce cortisol by 68%
• Hormonal benefits – Why reading boosts oxytocin, dopamine and endorphins, helping to ease stress and anxiety
• Making time for books – Small, realistic ways to sneak in reading, even when motherhood feels all-consuming
• Why choosing the right book matters – How finding a book that truly excites you can reignite your love for reading
• The ripple effect of reading – How modelling a love of books encourages your little ones to become lifelong readers too

Whether you’ve been meaning to get back into books or just need a gentle nudge to prioritise you, this episode is packed with motivation, science-backed benefits and easy ways to make reading a part of your daily routine.

Resources and Links:

📲 Want to chat more about this? Connect with Renee on Instagram: @fillyourcup_

🌐 Want to learn more about Dr Renee White and explore Fill Your Cup Doula services

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If this episode resonated with you, share it with another mama who could use a little escape into the pages of a good book.

Disclaimer: The information on this podcast presented by the Fill Your Cup is not a substitute for independent professional advice.

Nothing contained in this podcast is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

[00:00:27] I'm Dr. Renee White, and this is The Science of Motherhood. Hello and welcome to episode 163 of the Science of Motherhood. I am your host, Dr. Renee White. Thank you so much for joining me today. We have got another one of our Check In Tuesday episodes today, which I am going to be sharing something that is very near and dear to my heart.

[00:01:30] But before we dive into that, I just wanted to To let you know that this episode is proudly sponsored by Our Cow. They have provided an amazing discount code for our listeners here. And for all those playing at home, if you don't know who Our Cow is, they are an amazing, butcher, online butcher, they distribute all across Australia.

[00:02:26] They are our number one pick because it's really premium quality It's grass fed. It's ethically sourced meat and you can taste it. You can absolutely taste it. So Our Cow's provided an amazing discount for our listeners. It's $50 off your first order when you spend $199 or more. If you just use the code

[00:03:23] Now let's dive into today's episode. As I was saying, it was my 40th birthday. Two of my bestest friends decided that we were going to go on a book retreat because our most favorite book series, the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros, people might have heard of Fourth Wing, Iron Flame. Well, book three, Onyx Storm, was coming out the week of my birthday.

[00:05:01] And also you're just like completely and utterly maxed out in terms of your mental bandwidth. So many people I've spoken to, they're like, I just I pick up the book and I'll read a paragraph and then I'll fall asleep or like, you know, I'll get called mum, I'm hungry. Whatever that looks like. But when you kind of get back into it, and I want to give you some real hard evidence here when it comes to reading and why why you should prioritise it and how you can make time for it as well, right?

[00:06:00] Now, when you crack open a good book, your body isn't just chilling out. It's actually practically hosting a hormonal dance party. Let me tell you how first hormone we've got straight off the bat. Oxytocin. So you know the love hormone that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. Well it turns out that reading emotionally engaging stories can give you a hit of oxytocin.

[00:06:47] The next one we have is cortisol. Now this structure stress hormone is, it's basically your body's alarm system. You know, it's really great in emergencies. It's not so great when it's you know, in overdrive because, you know, motherhood, not good. But here's the kicker. Research shows that six minutes of reading can slash your cortisol levels by a whopping 68%.

[00:07:39] So even if you nail six minutes, bang, Awesome. Okay. Oxytocin cortisol. Let's talk about dopamine. Oh yes. My friend dopamine. It's that feel good, like reward molecule, um, gets a boost when you're totally hooked on like that juicy, um, plot twist, or you're trying to like solve that murder mystery. Shout out to my good friend, Carly, who loves a good murder mystery.

[00:08:45] So why, why is this, you know, why do we need this? Why do we need all this hormone magic as I like to call it? Well, let's face it. You know, motherhood can be a ridiculous amount of pressure to be on all the time, and one of the things that I love about reading books is that escapism. It's that escapism of like diving into a book, and it sounds very selfish, but it is an opportunity for you to just have that time for yourself.

[00:09:40] So it's kind of like, as I said in the beginning, it's like, like a little day spa for your brain. And also you can establish like a really good kind of bedtime routine with it as well. So if you read, you know, maybe a chapter before you go to bed, if you start to establish that routine, then it's like this little ritual that your body has.

[00:10:24] You get all the feels and sometimes it even gives you an opportunity to kind of, depending on the story and the plot, reflect on your own struggles or victories for that matter. Um, you can feel very seen and heard. Um, it's kind of empowering too, like I love Throne of Glass, which has inspired many, many things in my life.

[00:11:06] All right. I've spoken about the science. I've spoken about the positives and the benefits and why you should do it. Now I can hear you all, or maybe some of you going here Renee, but I don't have time. Like how am I going to manage this at all? Here are my top tips. The first one, think small. You don't have to do a whole book in like one sitting.

[00:11:54] Remember six minutes. That's all you need. Six minutes to start seeing that cortisol like drop, drop, drop, drop, drop, drop, drop. The second tip I would give is maybe try going audio. Like honestly, um, I've got friends who are exclusive to audio or like 80%, um, on audio. They love it. It can be pop your headphones in and you're cooking away or like whatever it is.

[00:12:45] And I was like, this is just so boring. And you know, after I had Eva, I kind of went through that stage like early on where I'd read like Jodie Picoult books and things like that. I love you Jodie, I think you write a great book, but goddamn they're sad. You know, like I was like, I can't read these anymore.

[00:13:26] So don't worry about what's trendy or whatever, like choose a few books, romance, thrillers, memoirs, whatever floats your boat, just find it and just sit with that. Make it a sacred moment. Okay. Like I know this can be really difficult, but even if it's like carving out 10 minutes a day, to just sit down with a cup of tea, get your Kindle open and read a chapter, like whatever that looks like.

[00:14:46] Um, and so they will then take time for themselves as well as they get older to have that carved out time, uh, for their mental health. If anyone is interested in getting started, or you just, you know, you don't know where to start, or you're interested in getting a Kindle, and you don't know where to start, feel free to DM me, I'm more than happy to send through a couple of tips for you.

[00:15:40] And I've got this amazing kind of stand that I have. Uh, it's, it's so, so good. So look, if you're interested, hit me up more than happy to send through those resources for you. All right, everyone. Until next week, I'll see you later. Bye.

[00:16:13] You've just listened to another episode of the Science of Motherhood, proudly presented by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village. Head to our website ifillyourcup.com to learn more about our birth and postpartum doula offerings, where every mother we pledge to be the steady hand that guides you back to yourself. Ensuring you feel nurtured, informed, and empowered so you can fully embrace the joy of motherhood with confidence. Until next time, bye!