Reading is fun!
When was the last time you read a book?
I asked this question a lot and I am not surprised at all.
There’s so many buzz and noise in our daily life a.k.a the internet. People tend to get lost in time scrolling down their social media feed or playing games on their mobile phones.
No surprise, I guess.
Why reading?
You ask…
It is no secret that reading books have countless benefits and it’s a good exercise for the brain.
Books are the superfood for the brain.
So many books, so little time.
Frank Zappa
Disclosure: Some of these are affiliate links. If you choose to buy through my link I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for the support.
Check out these 10 benefits of reading books.
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Improved Empathy
Have you ever felt that read a good book makes you better able to connect with other people?
Psychologists David Comer Kidd and Emanuele Castano, at the New School for Social Research in New York, have proved that reading literary fiction enhances the ability to detect and understand other people’s emotions.
Literary fiction, by contrast, focuses more on the psychology of characters and their relationships. This prompts the reader to imagine the characters’ introspective dialogues.
Books we recommend: “The Round House” by Louise Erdrich and “Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Improved Memory
Reading is a mentally stimulating activity that exercises your memory and keeps your brain in shape.
According to Ken Pugh of Haskins Laboratories, reading is more demanding than processing images or speech.
When you read a book, you will try to remember the characters, names, dates, and other tiny details as you read through.
My memory was pretty awful. When I started reading books, I find myself flipping back the pages times and times again trying to recall what I have just read. Over times I find myself flipping back less and I begin to remember more.
As you keep reading actively, you’ll be able to recall massive amounts of information at ease.
Books we recommend: “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn.
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Improved Vocabulary
It goes without saying that reading increases your vocabulary and improves your spelling.
Strong communication skills and the ability to voice your thoughts in an effective way are crucial tools to boost your career professionally.
When you read a wide variety of styles, you’ll learn new words you haven’t heard before and you’ll learn how to use those words effectively and communicate better.
Increased vocabulary is especially important for bloggers or writers. All successful writers will tell you that in order to write well, you need to read.
You’ll be surprised at the words you start incorporating into your writing.
Books we recommend: “Harry Potter” by J. K. Rowling
Improved Writing Skills
Okay, this goes without saying. With improved vocabulary, you will have more ways to express your thought in writing.
Have you ever feel like it’s easier to pick up a new book from the writer you like compared to a writer you never heard of before?
When you read different varieties of books, blogs, you will be exposed to other writers’ writing style. You will find one or two writing styles that you like that will influence your own writing.
Books we recommend: “On Writing” by Stephen King and “Bird Box” by Josh Malerman.
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Improved Analytical Thinking
That’s right. Reading books can improve your analytical thinking.
Analytical thinking is a critical component of visual thinking that gives one the ability to solve problems quickly and effectively.
When you read a mystery novel, do you try to see the plot from the hero’s or villain’s perspective? Or maybe you managed to solve the mystery before the end?
As you read books, you will start to question. This stimulates and expands your brain and allow it to think in different ways.
You are able to analyze details and spot patterns quicker with improved analytical thinking.
Books we recommend: “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” by Mark Sullivan and “IT” by Stephen King.
Reduced Stress
Everyone encounters stressful situations on an almost daily basis and there are times in our lives when we feel overwhelmed with tension.
Reading can help to reduce stress and provide comfort. According to University of Sussex research, reading for just 6 minutes can reduce stress levels by 68 percent. It actually works better and faster than listening to music or going for a walk.
Reading a well-written novel or an engaging article helps your mind to focus on the reading and the distraction of being taken into a literary world will ease the tension in the muscles and the heart and allow you to relax.
Books we recommend: “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… and It’s All Small Stuff” by Richard Carlson and “What I’d Say to the Martians: And Other Veiled Threats” by Jack Handey
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Increased Focus and Concentration
Our life is full of distractions. People chattering down the hall, incoming emails on your computer, receiving calls on your phone. It’s easy to get distracted.
Reading helps you to focus and improve your concentration.
Reading a bad book, you will stop anytime. But reading a good book, will make you lose track of time and your surrounding. Your attention is focused on reading the story.
When you read a book, the only way to finish the book is to continue reading the book. Reading 20 minutes a day will train your brain to stay focused for longer periods of time.
Books we recommend: “The Beggar King” by Oliver Pötzsch, “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins and “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.
Increase Creativity
Reading improves your ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoe and think from a different point of views and perspectives.
A recent study conducted by Neuroscientists at Emory University found that becoming engrossed in a novel enhances connectivity in the brain and improves brain function.
Reading a good novel or a fiction allows your imagination to take flight. It allows you to forget about your day-today troubles and transport yourself to a fantasy world where your imagination comes to life.
Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.
Mason Cooley
Books we recommend: “Harry Potter” by J. K. Rowling and “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll.
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Improved Sleep Quality
Reading is a good way de-stressing routine before bed to calm your mind. It’s proven to be a far better way for your mind to relax and for you to unwind and feel ready for sleep than watching a film or flicking through your phone.
By making reading before bed a habit, you can signal to your brain when it’s time to go to sleep.
Books we recommend: “Wives of War” by Soraya M. Lane and “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” by Mark Sullivan.
Becomes a Better Person
Self-help books may really help you help yourself. However, it’s not all about self-help books. By reading any books regularly, you are constantly learning about people and places forcing yourself to jump out of your comfort zone. Being immersed in the lives of the characters in the book strengthen your ability to understand others’ feeling and empathize better with those around you.
After all, knowledge is power.
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
Dr. Seuss
Books we recommend: “Half of a Yellow Sun” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah.[/vc_column_text]
Final Thought
Reading books provides tons of benefits not limited to the 10 I listed above and with many types of research and studies showed that reading works better than other activities such as watching movies or listening to music.
On top of that, all great leaders read voraciously. Mark Zuckerberg, yea I’m referring to the founder of Facebook if you’re wondering, set a challenge for himself back in 2015 to read a new book every other week.
I am currently reading “The ONE Thing” by Gary Keller which helps me to focus and better prioritize my to-do list. If you want to improve your productivity to the next level, check out the productivity books and find one that suits you most.
There are just so many things you can learn from reading books.
Keep reading, improve yourself and never stop learning.
If you would like to recommend a book, please feel free to let me know in the comments.
Bonus
This infographic, from Raphael Lysander’s blog, The Metamorphosis Journal, explains why reading is so good for us.
I definitely agree with all of this! Reading is one of the most important things. The Alchemist! You must read it.
Thanks Tomas. I haven’t read The Alchemist. But now that you mentioned it, I will check it out!
Reading is so important! I totally agree that it increases your empathy and vocabulary. It also improves your writing skills. I like reading before bed. As you said it improves the quality of your sleep. Great post!
Thank you Gabriella. I tried to read before bed but most of the times, I can’t stop 😀
This is a great list, Yuyu! One cannot underestimate the power of maintaining a good reading habit. Myself, I had very little grammar education when I was young. But I read like crazy and doing so gave me the ability to write with almost perfect grammar! So kids, read. Read a lot. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Eric. Oh wow, you’re definitely a good example to follow. Love your writing style. Amazing what you can learn from reading 🙂
I started reading books again recently. I had been purchasing the audiobooks only for the last 2 years but reading was a welcomed escape for me
I never try audiobook before, maybe it’s time to give it a try.
I am a bookworm myself. I really enjoy it but this annoys those who are around me ???? because i can cancel an outing if i want to read. Thank you for your blog
It must be a really good book for you to do so 😀
gonna read a lot from now on
As if I even needed more reasons to read! Seriously though, I had no idea reading had this many health benefits! I am feeling inspired to devote even more time to reading now. Thanks for sharing!
Reading a chapter before bed puts me right to sleep! I definitely notice a difference in my vocab as well – thanks for the list!
I definitely don’t read enough. Before iPhones, I used to read a lot more frequently, but now I’m attached to my phone. But I am making more of an effort to read before sleeping these days. Great post!
I have started to read more because I want to expand my vocabulary and improve on my writing skills. With technology now days, I think it’s important for people to remember the joy of books. Thanks for the post! Good job! =)
Amazing blog post, I actually like to read :)) I’m trying to force myself and read more!
https://liz-breygel.blogspot.com/
Great article. I love to read. I should make sure I read more often.
Thank you. Let us know if you have any books to recommend 🙂
This is so wonderful! I really try to make a point to read more (other than for work/school) and I find that I am happier and more relaxed when I do. So treat your self and snuggle into a good book 🙂
Thank you. As I start reading more books, I feel like I can express myself better with others. It’s awesome 🙂