There is a famous quote by Roald Dahl that says “if you are going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books.” History is a witness to this fact. You must be wondering, why and how would one convince themselves into reading a fat book when one can experience the same story in the form of a movie or a video on youtube. But if all of our knowledge is limited to the TV, google, or social media, we will never truly know about all that we have missed out on.
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.
– George R.R. Martin
There is an obvious reason why we have always been pestered since a young age to make reading an inbuilt habit so that it doesn’t seem like a task when we have no other choice (like studying for a test).
Here are 7 good benefits that will surely convince you to attempt making reading a regular habit.
- Reading introduces you to plenty of untapped knowledge
Learning is one of the most evident advantages of reading every day.
Unlike a YouTube video or a podcast, books contain in-depth information. To put it another way, of course, you’ll learn more from a book written by someone who has spent 10 years of their life studying and researching, rather than a random 10-minute YouTube video by someone who might have just collected surface-level information and presented it to the world. Going beyond just surface information is essential for success, too.
Ask any great inventor about how they created their masterpiece, they’ll all give a major portion of the credit to the habit of reading.
- Reading exercises your brain
Reading activates a complex network of circuits and messages in the brain, according to research. Furthermore, when your reading ability improves, these networks become more powerful and sophisticated. Researchers in another study looked at how reading a novel changes our brains. As the tension in the story increased, more parts of the brain were activated.
In all, our brains, like our bodies, have a “use it or lose it” philosophy. To put it another way, if we don’t frequently exercise our thoughts, our cognitive talents may deteriorate. We can, however, keep them strong and healthy by reading every day.
- Reading can improve your memory
Do you have a habit of forgetting things? Do you have a lot of to-do lists but can’t seem to recall what’s on them? Fear not: one of the benefits of reading books is that it can help you remember things. When you read a nonfiction book, you’re also consuming a lot of knowledge on the topic you’re reading about.
I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.
– Groucho Marx
Similarly, when you read a novel, you must recall a great deal of information regarding the narrative and subplots of the story, the characters and their relationships, and the setting in which the story is set. All of this new information creates new memories, and every new memory creates synapses or strengthens old ones. Basically, it can help you store new information and recall memories more effectively.
- It increases the empathy within you
One of the major advantages of reading books is that they can help us to sympathize with others. Empathy has numerous advantages, including the ability to alleviate stress, improve relationships, and inform our moral judgments.
How?
Long-time fiction readers, according to research, develop a superior “THEORY OF MIND” — the word used to characterize our capacity for empathy and understanding of others.
Another study discovered that reading novels about characters’ inner lives and emotions improves our ability to grasp others’ thoughts and feelings better.
“Great novels help you comprehend, and they make you feel understood,” novelist John Green said.
- Reading improves your communication skills
Seeing the world through the eyes of Harry Potter or Jane Eyre, for example, can teach us how to see the world through the eyes of our families, friends, and coworkers.
A key life skill is the capacity to communicate effectively.
According to one research, 69 percent of companies prefer to hire persons who have “soft” talents like excellent communication.
One of the most important advantages of reading is that it improves our communication skills. Reading every day can help us communicate better in a variety of ways. Reading, for example, can improve your writing skills and expand your vocabulary. We intuitively notice the writing style, cadence, and composition of well-written work when we read it. These elements inextricably seep into our work, just as musicians are impacted by one another.
- Reading can act as a stress buster
Another benefit of reading is that it might help you relax. According to studies, just 30 minutes of reading can reduce blood pressure, heart rate, and psychological strain.
Another study found that reading, rather than taking a stroll, drinking tea or coffee, or playing video games, is the most effective approach to relieve stress. According to the study, just six minutes of reading can reduce stress levels by more than two-thirds. So the next time you feel stressed, remember the benefits of reading for pleasure and let the tension melt away as the pages turn.
- Improves your mental health
Reading has mental health benefits as well.
Researchers looked at the impacts of self-help books and discovered that many of them can benefit people with depression or other mood problems. The act of using books as therapy is called “Bibliotherapy.”
I read a book one day and my whole life was changed.
– Orhan Pamuk
Reading, as previously stated, is an excellent technique to exercise our brains and get brighter and sharper. Reading, on the other hand, has the side effect of preventing age-related cognitive loss.
According to doctors, those who do not exercise their grey matter risk losing brain capacity. Overall, reading every day increases your chances of retaining your mental faculties and living longer!