Benefits of Reading

 Hello everyone and welcome back! Sometimes you may wonder, why should I read? Or...Will I get anything out of it? Well, you may not get any cash or prizes, but reading definitely has a lot to offer! 

Reading Reduces Stress 

It has become a scientifically proven fact that reading reduces stress. It lowers your heart rate and eases your muscles. This is a wonderful stress-reliever that is healthy for your body and your soul. However, You always want to make sure that you pick a book that makes you feel calm, interested, and happy. Check out my blog post on How to Choose a Great Book for more details on how to pick YOUR perfect book!

Reading Makes You Smarter!

Yes, it's true! Reading can actually make you smarter. When you read, you get exposed to new vocabulary, which leads to good scores on tests. You also learn new things (the concepts in the books), and this is a huge benefit as well.  As a result of knowing more vocabulary, your writing skills improve as well. Reading also boosts your brain power. Think of reading like a workout for your brain. When you work your muscles out, they stay in shape and strong. It works the same way for your brain. So, working out your brain makes it smarter and reading is your workout! Plus, when you work out your brain, you are also less likely to get Alzheimer disease.

Reading Makes You More Empathetic

When you read a book, you tend to start to care about what happens next. So, when the characters in the book fall, you feel sad. When they emerge victorious, you feel happy. This makes you more empathetic with everyone around you.  This only works in fiction though, because fiction has characters. This helps you in your later life, because it is a necessary skill to have in your social life.

Reading Helps You Sleep Better

Reading is a great addition to your bedtime routine! It alters your state of mind and changes your consciousness (not in a bad way, in a good way!) This helps you to sleep. As mentioned before, it also helps you to be relaxed and reduces stress. This leads to a better sleep. Make sure to read a real, paper book though. Reading an e-book could even keep you awake longer.

Reading Helps to Fight Depression

People who are depressed often feel alone and like nobody is there for them. When you read, you feel less alone. When you escape into an imaginary world, you feel happy and stress-free. In this case, nonfiction books are good for you too. Reading a non-fiction positivity or self-help book is equally beneficial. 

Reading Could Help you to Live Longer!

Since reading helps prevent certain brain-related conditions and helps keep your brain in shape, you have a longer life expectancy. There was even a scientific case study that was conducted by Yale University that proved this. They had 3 groups, 2 who read and 1 who did not. The people who read lived longer! Reading also strengthens survival skills and all of the benefits mentioned above help you to live longer as well!

Articles to Check Out!

This blog post would not have been possible without the help of these cool articles! If you would like, you can go check them out!

Source 1- Benefits of Reading Books: How it Can Positively Change Your Life

Source 2- Reading: The Secret to Living A Longer Life

Source 3- Reading For Stress Relief

Source 4- Is Reading Before Bed A Good Idea

Thank you for taking the time to read my post!