People who read have a different perspective on life. They learn new things, they set their mind free.
However, reading is also a healthy habit, since, according to a consultancy based at the University of Sussex, reading is the most effective form of stress relief when compared to typical stress relief methods. The study was done by putting participants through a range of tests and exercises to increase stress levels and heart rate. Then the participants engaged in typical stress relief activities like listening to music, walking, playing video games, and reading. (source)
1. Mental Stimulation
Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of (or possibly even prevent) Alzheimer’s and Dementia, since keeping your brain active and engaged prevents it from losing power. Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy, so the phrase “use it or lose it” is particularly apt when it comes to your mind. Doing puzzles and playing games such as chess have also been found to be helpful with cognitive stimulation.
2. Reading can chill you out.
Stressed out? Pick up a paperback. Research conducted in 2009 at the University of Sussex showed that reading was the most effective way to overcome stress, beating out old favorites such as listening to music, enjoying a cup of tea or coffee and even taking a walk. Fiction is fantastic for reducing anxiety.
3. Increased vocabulary
It’s no secret that reading increases your vocabulary and improves your spelling, but did you know that reading increases your vocabulary more than talking or direct teaching? Reading forces us to look at words that we might not have seen or heard recently at the pub. In fact, language in children’s books are likely to be more sophisticated than your average conversation.
4. Reading can boost your brain power.
Not only does regular reading help make you smarter, but it can actually increase your brain power. Just like going for a jog exercises your cardiovascular system, reading regularly improves memory function by giving your brain a good work out. With age comes a decline in memory and brain function, but regular reading may help slow the process, keeping minds sharper longer, according to research published in Neurology.
5. Reading gives muscle to your memory.
Reading gives your brain a different kind of workout than watching TV or listening to the radio. Whether you’re absorbed in a page-turner or simply scanning an instruction manual for your coffee maker. The habit spurs your brain to think and concentrate. Adults who spent their downtime doing creative or intellectual activities (like reading) had a 32 percent slower rate of cognitive decline later in life than those who did not.
6. Reading builds self-esteem
By reading more books, you become better informed and more of an expert on the topics you read about. This expertise translates into higher self esteem. Since you are so well read, people look to you for answers. Your feelings about yourself can only get better. In addition remember that if you read a lot of books, you’ll always have something to talk about. You can discuss various plots in the novels you read, you can discuss the stuff you are learning in the business books you are reading as well. The possibilities of sharing are endless.
Unfortunately, nowadays, people write books only for money. That's the main problem with modern writers and readers; they write or read just for spending their time. However, books are something more than that. They can blow your mind, they can fill your head with knowledge, they can boost your imagination. But only if you let them.
If you need any ideas on what books you should read, then check this out!
Connect with all those who wrote something for you and for humanity by reading their books!
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