In our world, reading books is not necessarily seen as the greatest activity. It seems that everyone would rather play video games, watch television or concentrate on social media. When asked, most people might place reading at the bottom of a list of things that they would like to do, but reading is highly beneficial to every person.
Unfortunately, not everyone is aware of this fact, but this article will give you just five real world benefits of reading books that you need to seriously consider. The benefits of reading books may even inspire you to visit your local library and choose a book for the first time.
1. Reading Stimulates Your Mind
The medical community discovered that a person who stimulates her brain by reading a book will slow down cognitive decline when she is in her later years.
Reading books during your golden years keeps you from losing your mental capacities. Reading does wonderful things for younger people as well.
It causes your brain to engage in a creative process as you are reading an extensive description, and your brain begins to see pictures within your mind’s eye. In addition to that, reading about an experience is the same thing as actually living it to the brain.
Reading is great for children because they are introduced to the concept of a beginning, middle and an end when they read books. This sequence of events teaches children to think in sequence. They also learn to recognize the fact that actions have consequences.
2. Reading Helps You Relax
Reading a book is an excellent way to relieve stress. As a matter of fact, it only takes six minutes to begin experiencing the positive effects of reading. Scientists discovered that just six minutes of reading will reduce your stress levels 67 percent of the time.
According to recent research, this means that reading is better for reducing stress than enjoying a cup of tea, taking a pleasant walk or listening to music.
Psychologists explained that is the case because reading causes you to concentrate on the written word rather than the issue that is currently bothering you. As a result, your heart and muscles are less tense.
3. Reading Helps You Learn
The act of reading causes blood to flow to the brain while you are being introduced to new words that you have never heard before, and you get to see them in context.
When you read, you have a larger vocabulary, and you are now able to use these new words in conversation.
Reading also increases your knowledge and makes it easier for you to recognize patterns. As a result, your analytical skills are strengthened as you learn to recognize an increasing number of patterns.
Reading also stimulates your memory because your brain is being trained to remember the stories that you are reading.
4. Reading Improves Your Vocabulary
Reading improves your vocabulary by forcing you to guess the meanings of unfamiliar words by examining the context clues within the sentences. When you learn a new word in this manner, you are more likely to remember it.
Choosing fiction and other types of books increase your vocabulary even more than reading only one genre because you will learn a wider variety of words.
You can take advantage of this strategy by choosing to read materials that include magazines and newspapers, but books are the best option.
5. Reading Inspires You
Reading inspires your imagination. Books can take you anywhere, including outer space, the Sahara desert, and the high seas.
Reading a book is like stepping into an entirely new reality, and in the process, you can live many lives. Some people have been inspired to do several great things by reading books.
For example, one avid reader read a book entitled “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Morganson, and he learned that many children in the third world do not receive the extensive education that children in first world countries do. This book inspired him to get involved in fundraising for the people he learned about in the books that he has read.
The same thing can happen for you too. If you are feeling as if nothing ever goes your way, choosing to read books about people who have overcome challenges can help you feel inspired to do the same thing. The book doesn’t have to be about a real person.
If it is a story about winning, you will begin to feel as if you can be a winner too. This strategy will work if you identify a quality within the character that helped him succeed and find that quality within yourself.
Take the Reading Challenge
Now that you are aware of the many benefits of reading books, you may be willing to give this new activity a try. It’s the easiest thing to do. Take the Reading Challenge and visit your local library. Then, start reading!