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I’ll be honest: I haven’t read a book on my own since middle school until recently. Anything I have read has been a book required by school or a textbook. I either never had time or never bothered to be interested in reading. Maybe because I am a slow reader or maybe I just never bothered to find time to read the book. Whatever the reason, one of my goals for 2021 is to start reading. As with anything, this is easier said than done. Reading just seemed like a chore or boring hobby to me. Then what’s so special about reading and why is everyone doing it?
Reading may seem like just another hobby, but it’s actually a habit or skill that has the ability to change your life. Reading has many benefits. Reading can open your world and broaden your mind to life around you. Whether you read fiction, non-fiction, or any type of work, books tell stories. Reading helps us destress.
Expand your knowledge
There’s no doubt that you will always learn something new from a book. Books contain facts and even opinions that shape how we view the world. These facts and opinions have the ability to shape our views on the world and broaden our vision with acquired knowledge and give an insight on the views of others.
Builds vocabulary and comprehension
There are over 170,000 words in the English language according to the Oxford English Dictionary. According to this article by The Economist, the average American adult has a vocabulary of about 20,000-35,000 words and learns around 1 word per day until a certain age. Therefore, the more you read, the more unfamiliar vocabulary you will be exposed to. Exposure to new words and understanding their context will add to your mental dictionary to increase your vocabulary.
Writing and communication
This point goes in hand with increasing vocabulary. The greater the vocabulary you have, the more you are likely to use them in communication whether through conversation or through writing. Reading will expose you to various writing styles and communication forms that you may pick up on and use in your own communication. This will help you with effective communication and expression of your thoughts.
Reduce stress
Reading is a great and effective way to escape from the stressors of life. According to a 2009 study done by the University of Sussex, reading was found to reduce stress in participants by as much as 68%. Researchers found that only 6 minutes of reading reduced a stimulated heart rate and muscle tension of patients faster and more effectively than other methods of relaxation such as listening to music.
Good night’s sleep
While it may seem counterintuitive to read before bed as reading provides mental stimulation, the Mayo Clinic actually recommends it for better sleep. With the added benefits of stress relief, a little bit of light reading can help lower stress to give you a good night’s sleep. Although you may want to stay away from reading page-turners and mystery and crime as they may keep you up 🙂
May help you live longer
This may seem far-fetched and you may be wondering how in the world reading can be related to life expectancy. Well, according to a Yale University study published in 2016, this is true. Participants were tracked for a period of 12 years and those that read books had an 80% increase survival by 23 months! Now that should convince you to pick up a book 🙂
Mental stimulation to reduce decline of cognition and related illnesses
Studies show reading and solving math problems daily helped improve and maintain cognitive function in seniors. These benefits are not just for seniors as a 2013 study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center shows that people who people who engaged in cognitive activity throughout their life had slower age-related cognitive decline.
I hope that convinces you to pick up a book and start reading. It can be hard to find time to dedicate to reading as an adult. I have just started reading a few times a week and hope to do it daily. I even bought this Kindle in an effort to reduce paper usage and get cheaper books.
Have you experienced the above benefits from reading? Comment down below!
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