Reading is to the Mind what the Exercise is to the
Body. Reading is important for the brain, whether
it is school textbooks, magazines, or regular books,
people still read, though not as much as they used
to.
Despite television, cell phones, and Twitter, tradi
tional reading is still an important skill. Reading is
important for the brain, whether it is school text
books, magazines, or regular books, people still
read, though not as much as they used to. One
reason that many people don't read much is that
they don't read well. For them, it is slow, hard
work and they don't remember as much as they
should.
If you are one of countless people who don't make
a habit of reading regularly, you might be missing
out on the significant benefits of reading.
Here are 10 Benefits Why you need to Read
EveryDay
1. Mental Stimulation
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. It Reduces Stress
No matter how much stress you have at work, in
your personal relationships, or countless other
issues faced in daily life, it all just slips away
when you lose yourself in a great story. A well-
written novel can transport you to other realms
while an engaging article will distract you and
keep you in the present moment, letting tensions
drain away and allowing you to relax.
3. Reading Makes You Smarter (Knowledge)
Everything you read fills your head with new bits
of information and you never know when it might
come in handy. The more knowledge you have, the
better-equipped you are to tackle any challenge
you'll ever face. Additionally, here's a bit of food
for thought: should you ever find yourself in dire
circumstances, remember that although you might
lose everything else your job, your possessions,
your money, even your health knowledge can never
be taken from you.
4. Vocabulary Expansion
The more you read, the more words you gain
exposure to and they will inevitably make their
way into your everyday vocabulary. Being
articulate and well-spoken is of great help in any
profession and knowing that you can speak to
higher-ups with self-confidence can be an
enormous boost to your self-esteem. It could even
aid in your career, as those who are well-read,
well-spoken, and knowledgeable on a variety of
topics tend to get promotions more quickly (and
more often) than those with smaller vocabularies
and lack of awareness of literature, scientific
breakthroughs, and global events.
Reading books is also vital for learning new
languages, as non-native speakers gain exposure
to words used in context, which will ameliorate
their own speaking and writing fluency.
5. It Improves Your Memory
When you read a book, you have to remember an
assortment of characters, their backgrounds,
ambitions, history, and nuances, as well as the
various arcs and sub-plots that weave their way
through every story. That's a fair bit to
remember but brains are marvellous things and
can remember these things with relative ease.
Amazingly enough, every new memory you create
forges new synapses (brain pathways)and
strengthens existing ones, which assists in short-
term memory recall as well as stabilizing moods.
How cool is that?
6. Stronger Analytical Thinking Skills
Have you ever read an amazing mystery novel and
solved the mystery yourself before finishing the
book? If so, you were able to put critical and
analytical thinking to work by taking note of all
the details provided and sorting them out to
determine "whodunnit".
That same ability to analyze details also comes in
handy when it comes to critiquing the plot;
determining whether it was a well-written piece,
if the characters were properly developed, if the
storyline ran smoothly, etc. Should you ever have
an opportunity to discuss the book with others,
you will be able to state your opinions clearly, as
you have taken the time to really consider all the
aspects involved.
7. Improves Your Focus and Concentration
In our internet-crazed world, attention is drawn
in a million different directions at once as we
multi-task through every day. In a single 5-
minute span, the average person will divide their
time between working on a task, checking email,
chatting with a couple of people (via facebook,
skype, etc.), keeping an eye on twitter,
monitoring their smartphone, and interacting with
co-workers. This type of ADD-like behaviour
causes stress levels to rise, and lowers our
productivity.
When you read a book, all of your attention is
focused on the story—the rest of the world just
falls away, and you can immerse yourself in every
fine detail you're absorbing. Try reading for
15-20 minutes before work (i.e. on your morning
commute, if you take public transit), and you'll be
surprised at how much more focused you are once
you get to the office.
8. Better Writing Skills
This goes hand-in-hand with the expansion of your
vocabulary: exposure to published, well-written
work has a noted effect on one's own writing, as
observing the cadence, fluidity, and writing styles
of other authors will invariably influence your own
work. In the same way that musicians influence
one another, and painters use techniques
established by previous masters, so do writers
learn how to craft prose by reading the works of
others.
9. Tranquility
In addition to the relaxation that accompanies
reading a good book, it's possible that the subject
you read about can bring about immense inner
peace and tranquility. Reading spiritual texts can
lower blood pressure and bring about an immense
sense of calm while reading self-help books has
been shown to help people suffering from certain
mood disorder.
10. Free Entertainment
For low-budget entertainment, you can visit your
local library and bask in the glory of the countless
tomes available there for free. Libraries have
books on every subject imaginable, and since they
rotate their stock and constantly get new books,
you will never run out of reading materials.
If you happen to live in an area that doesn't have
a local library or if you're mobility-impaired and
can't get to one easily, most libraries have their
books available in PDF or ePub format so you can
read them on your e-reader, iPad, or your
computer screen. There are also many sources
online where you can download free e-books, so go
hunting for something new to read!
There's a reading genre for every literate person
on the planet, and whether your tastes lie in
classical literature, poetry, fashion magazines,
biographies, religious texts, young adult books,
self-help guides, street lit, or romance novels,
there's something out there to capture your
curiosity and imagination. Step away from your
computer for a little while, crack open a book, and
replenish your soul for a little while.
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