Between work and family, it’s difficult to find any motivation to find time to sit down and read for any length of time. In fact, the average American only reads about five books in a year. With countless numbers of people reading only social media posts, text messages, and emails, the advantages of reading are being unreaped. But there are plenty out there, and many of them will surprise you.
1) Reading Prevents Dementia and Alzheimer’s
Studies show that doing creative and stimulating things like reading makes your mind function longer. Like exercise for the body, brain stimulation prevents signs of aging, including common diseases for older people. Not only can diseases like Dementia and Alzheimer’s be delayed for a very long time, but it can also be prevented altogether in some cases.
2) Increase Your Memory Retention
When you’re reading books, you need to keep all of the plotlines and characters in your head while you gather new information as you keep turning pages. This actually strengthens the synapses in your brain the more you do this so you can remember more in general.
3) Reading Makes You More Empathetic
When you are reading anything with a point of view, be it a memoir, novel, or personal essay, you are putting yourself in the shoes of the narrator and you can see things by their point of view, including their flaws, good points, and in most cases back story. This can let you empathize with others in your life, even that annoying coworker who can’t stop complaining.
4) Reduce Your Stress
Another of the many benefits of reading is stress reduction. When reading an engaging piece, everything around you melts away, even your problems. You will be completely focused on the story or information which will calm you down and make you happier, especially if you are reading something happy and heartwarming. And when you’re done reading, maybe you’ll be calm enough to look at your problem again from a different angle.
5) Alleviate Loneliness and Other Symptoms of Depression
When you are reading a novel you develop a sort of relationship with the characters. Even though one exists only on ink and paper, you are still connected to that character. Sometimes you are even in their head. This relieves feelings of loneliness because you feel connected to the characters. It also relieves feelings of sadness and fatigue when you are reading something happy and stimulating. There’s nothing like an effective piece of writing describing a hilarious event at a family reunion to lift the mood. It can remind you of good memories of your own from friend or family get togethers and for others, like me, you can experience the fantasy of an ideal family get together which might never happen in real life. When I need a good pick-me-up, I personally choose romance novels which are often light and take place in a world where good always triumphs. (Unless you’re reading Nicholas Sparks. Then there’s death after the happily ever after.)
These five don’t even count for half of the many benefits you can get from reading. Unfortunately, not nearly enough people make it a habit to read regularly because they find it too boring or time-consuming to make time for. The trick is finding good books that will interest you, regardless on how “intellectual” they are considered. Instead of prowling on Amazon to read reviews which can often be questionable at best, find a blog that reviews books in a genre you like, or one that covers many genres. Below are two great resources that will help you find your next great read.