When the world feels unsettled, even the smallest rituals can help restore balance and bring a sense of calm. For many people, reading is one of them. Although a book won’t change the headlines, it can offer perspective, reassurance and practical tools for dealing with stress. In this article, I have gathered a selection of titles that explore how our thoughts, emotions and nervous system respond to pressure — and how understanding and managing these reactions can make challenging moments easier to navigate.

If straightforward, practical ideas are what you need right now, High on Life might be just the book to reach for. Its author, David JP Phillips, is a well-known speaker and coach specialising in communication and self-leadership, but this book tackles a far more personal topic. Phillips began writing it while trying to overcome his own long-term depression, and the insights from that journey gradually shaped his approach to building a happier life through an understanding of human biology.

His method centres on six key hormones — dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, cortisol, endorphins and testosterone, which play an important role in regulating motivation, mood, stress levels, connection with others and overall wellbeing. By learning how everyday habits influence these chemical processes in the body, Phillips explains how small changes in lifestyle and mindset can help restore emotional balance and support a more positive state of mind.

Have you ever noticed how easily the mind returns to the same painful situation, replaying conversations or analysing what went wrong? In Can’t Stop Thinking, psychotherapist Nancy Colier explores this familiar pattern of rumination — the habit of believing that if we just think about a problem a little longer, we will eventually solve it. In reality, this constant mental replay often deepens stress and keeps us stuck in the very emotions we are trying to escape.

Colier explains that overthinking is less about solving problems and more about the mind’s attempt to cope with discomfort. Analysing painful situations can feel like a form of self-protection, yet the more we engage with these mental loops, the stronger they become. Instead of trying to silence thoughts altogether, the book encourages to notice them without automatically following them. Through simple mindfulness-based practices, Colier shows how stepping back from our mental commentary can help break the cycle of rumination and create space for greater calm, clarity and presence.

Few books have influenced the modern understanding of trauma as strongly as The Body Keeps the Score. Written by psychiatrist and researcher Bessel van der Kolk, it draws on more than three decades of clinical work and scientific research to explain how difficult experiences can shape both the brain and the body, affecting how we respond to stress, process emotions and relate to others.

One of the book’s key ideas is that trauma is stored not only in the mind but also in the nervous system. Because of this, healing often requires more than talking through the experience. Van der Kolk walks the reader through a range of approaches that help people reconnect with their bodies and restore a sense of safety, from mindfulness and movement practices to creative therapies. At its heart, the book carries an encouraging message: with the right support, the mind and body have a remarkable capacity to recover and regain balance.