Who doesn’t love picking up a book and getting lost in a good story? There is something magical about flipping through the pages and smelling that unique “book smell” that wafts from within the bound paper. Who doesn’t love stimulating their imagination? Right now, with the current state of the world going deeper and deeper into turmoil, it’s more important than ever before to read. There are many reasons why reading is good for you. Here are just a few of those reasons.
Stimulate Your Mind
Reading both stimulates and challenges the mind at the same time. It keeps the mind active and engaged on something different than the regular day-to-day activities it is faced with. This stimulation has been linked in studies to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Ignite Your Imagination
There’s nothing like being lost within the depths of your imagination. For those of us who daydream, certain stories can really suck you into them and put you in an exciting adventure that takes place within the world of your own mind. Visualizing and living these stories within your head makes you feel younger at heart and allows you to see the world in a different way- a joyous way that many people cannot. This is especially true when reading some of the greatest science fiction books ever written. There’s really nothing like reading one of these greats for the first time and living the story within your mind.
Distract Yourself from Stress
Because there’s nothing like reading a good book, getting lost in one can easily take your mind off of matters of the world. Especially during these trying times, picking up a book can help us forget the state of our lives or the state of the world. Studies have shown that reading can decrease stress levels by up to 68%. And this will, of course, lead to better sleep. This is why many read before bed. While sitting back and allowing your mind to wander, your body will loosen up and you will slowly begin to doze.
Learn New Things
Books can help you learn all sorts of facts and skills that you wouldn’t get from just watching tv. First, reading books easily allows one to naturally expand his or her vocabulary. The more we see and interact with a word, the more likely we are to use it in life. Books allow us to gradually expand our word usage. Of course, there are also many exciting nonfiction books that teach us all about the world we live in. Whether you prefer self-help books, autobiographies, memoirs, how-to’s or cookbooks, there is a vast variety of knowledge that can be pulled from books. Some books can teach you many new skills while also distracting your mind and allowing you to have fun and stimulate your brain.
Keep Your Grammar on Point
Aside from learning new phrases or vocabulary words, reading can also help you freshen up your grammar. The more you read, the more you remember proper sentence structures and the more they become like a second nature to you. In fact, the more you read, the more you will start to point out errors in the books you are reading from or in online articles.
So, have we been able to convince you here? Reading is an essential activity that everyone should be doing more of. From the epic fantasy novels of yesterday to the informative real-life events of some of your favorite people, books cover every topic under the sun. Not only will you learn new things and stimulate your mind, but you will find a whole new world you can escape to.
