When was the last time you read something rather than trending tweets and social media posts?
For most people, this is a while back, but because you are reading this blog, I believe you read our posts regularly. If this is the first article you have read in a while, I hope this article gives you reasons to read more frequently!
Often we read for fun. That explains why authors spend a lot of time coming up with catchy titles. The not so obvious benefits of reading are ignored and as a result, most people miss out on these. Let's take a look!
The human brain is just like playdough. It can be easily molded, changed and improved.
Reading enhances connectivity in various parts of the brain that wouldn’t otherwise be stimulated by everyday activities. The more you read diverse pieces of work, the more different parts of your brain get increased connectivity.
This change in how the brain works improves your general cognitive capacity.
I am sure we have all met someone who is very articulate.
They know the perfect word for everything they want to say and are able to communicate effectively and often in an engaging manner.
That does not come naturally; it comes by reading. As you read, you become exposed to more words that eventually find their way into your everyday vocabulary.
On average children know 3,000 words, while adults know 30,000 words.
The 3,000 words that children know are the basics of a language, while the 30,000 adults know are the specified variations of the basics. For instance, a child knows the word ‘dog’ but an adult knows the different breeds.
While the child can communicate, the adult who is able to differentiate the different breeds can communicate even more effectively.
In the same manner, reading exposes you to variations of words you already knew and makes you more eloquent and well-spoken.
The best way to keep our memory sharp is to use it.
In order to accurately follow a story when reading, you need to remember the plot, characters and other important details that keep the story going. Creating these new memories strengthens the old ones you already had.
It also makes it easier for your brain to create new memories in general.
As you read, you engage with the literature.
You involve your thoughts and imagination in order to clearly understand why characters might have done what they did or what is likely to happen in future.
You critically analyze the characters, as well as how the author wrote the piece. Subconsciously, you might even come up with ways you might have written the book differently.
These critical thinking skills become transferable to your everyday life and change how you make both long and short term goals and plans.
Knowledge is one of those things that can never be taken away from you once you have acquired it.
Since we are not experts in every field, reading allows us to learn from experts of other fields. After reading, you might not be consciously aware of the new information and knowledge you would have gained.
But, as you have conversations or think about certain topics, you might be surprised by how much you know, based on the material you would have read.
A big part of reading a good book is the use of your imagination.
It allows you to relax and ignore the outside world so you can focus on your book. This can allow you to more easily fall asleep.
Moreover, reading also distracts you from negative emotions such as anxiety, which could otherwise hinder you from having a good night’s rest.
Life is busy and most of us struggle to even have time to ourselves. But, when we really want to do something, we can create time for it.
At the end of a busy day, rather than spending two hours doomscrolling, you could use that time to pick a book and read.
Some of these benefits such as the increase in memory and critical thinking might not be observed as soon as for example: improved sleep. Just because you are not noticing any benefits of your reading doesn’t mean that there aren’t any.
There surely is a genre for everyone out there. Cut your screen time and do more reading. You might actually enjoy it more than you realize!
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One comment on “Reading: 6 Terrific Reasons Why You Should Read Every Day”
I enjoy reading 6 benefits of reading.
I have started this ritual of going to bed early so that I can read & waking up early around 4:30, and spending 2-4 hrs in “THE WORD” has helped me mentally prepare for my day.
So true of what 6 benefits of reading. Thanks