09.08.2018
Five Reasons Why Reading Books is Good for You
Did you know that reading books has science-backed benefits? That’s right. It’s actually good for you to read books. Anything from classic romance novels to a nerve-wracking romp by Stephen King, reading can improve many areas of your life.
Here are five reasons why reading books is good for you.
1. Reading Stimulates Your Mind
Watching TV or spending time on social media, believe it or not, can dull your senses. Being spoon-fed information in the digital age reduces how hard your brain works. Reading, however, has the opposite effect. Reading books wakes your brain up, so to speak, igniting areas that naturally combat Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Receiving cognitive stimulation also aids in achieving a healthy sleep pattern.
2. Reading Reduces Stress Levels
Regardless of how stressful your job or home life can be, no matter what’s going on in your life that puts you under pressure, reading a book can wash it all away. That’s right, losing yourself in a story is an organic escape from reality, taking you to another time and another place. And the best part is, you can do it again and again with no negative side effects. You don’t even need a prescription from your doctor.
3. Reading Expands Your Vocabulary
Finding a wide array of books, especially from different genres and written in different time periods can vastly increase your vocabulary. Reading the many different ways authors use words stimulates the brain, allowing it to discover new turn of phrases, and rediscover forgotten words and how to redistribute throughout a story of your own.
4. Reading Increases Your Knowledge
Even if the books you choose to read are not educational, just about any book worth reading will add to your ever-growing inventory of knowledge. Even slight references to times, dates, and places in actual history will act as learning aids.
5. Reading Improves Your Memory
Just like crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and other games, reading helps in your memory retention. A good story is worth recalling, and as you do, you are exercising your brain. And with it, your memory.
