15/03/2021 Benefits of Reading Books: For Your Physical and Mental Health

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Benefits of Reading Books: How It Can

Positively Affect Your Life
Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M.D. — Written by Rebecca Joy Stanborough, MFA
on October 15, 2019

Strengthens the brain Increases empathy Builds vocabulary

Prevents cognitive decline Reduces stress Aids sleep
Alleviates depression Lengthens lifespan What to read Bypass TV
Takeaway

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In the 11th century, a Japanese woman known as Murasaki Shikibu wrote

“The Tale of Genji,” a 54-chapter story of courtly seduction believed to be
the world’s first novel.

Nearly 2,000 years later, people the world over are still engrossed by
novels — even in an era where stories appear on handheld screens and
disappear 24 hours later.

What exactly do human beings get from reading books? Is it just a matter
of pleasure, or are there benefits beyond enjoyment? The scientific
answer is a resounding “yes.”

Reading books benefits both your physical and mental health, and those
benefits can last a lifetime. They begin in early childhood and continue
through the senior years. Here’s a brief explanation of how reading books
can change your brain — and your body — for the better.

Reading strengthens your brain

A growing body of research indicates that reading literally changes your
mind.

Using MRI scans, researchers have confirmed  that reading involves a

complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. As your reading
ability matures, those networks also get stronger and more sophisticated.

In one study  conducted in 2013, researchers used functional MRI scans

to measure the effect of reading a novel on the brain. Study participants
read the novel “Pompeii” over a period of 9 days. As tension built in the
story, more and more areas of the brain lit up with activity.

Brain scans showed that throughout the reading period and for days
afterward, brain connectivity increased, especially in the somatosensory
cortex, the part of
A D Vthe
E R T I Sbrain
E M E N T that responds to physical sensations like


movement and pain.

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Why children and parents should read

together
Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic recommend that parents read with
their children beginning as early as infancy and continuing
through elementary school years.

Reading with your children builds warm and happy associations

with books, increasing the likelihood that kids will find reading
enjoyable in the future.

Reading at home boosts school performance later on. It also

increases vocabulary, raises self-esteem, builds good
communication skills, and strengthens the prediction engine that
is the human brain.

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Increases your ability to empathize

And speaking of sensing pain, research  has shown that people who
read literary fiction — stories that explore the inner lives of characters —
show a heightened ability to understand the feelings and beliefs of
others.

Researchers call this ability the “theory of mind,” a set of skills essential
for building, navigating, and maintaining social relationships.

While a single session of reading literary fiction isn’t likely to spark this
feeling, research  shows that long-term fiction readers do tend to have a
better-developed theory of mind.

Builds your vocabulary

Reading researchers as far back as the 1960s have discussed what’s
known as “the Matthew effect  ,” a term that refers to biblical verse
Matthew 13:12: “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an
abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken
from them.”

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The Matthew effect sums up the idea that the rich get richer and the poor
get poorer — a concept that applies as much to vocabulary as it does to
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money.

Researchers have found  that students who read books regularly,

beginning at a young age, gradually develop large vocabularies. And
vocabulary size can influence many areas of your life, from scores on
standardized tests to college admissions and job opportunities.

A 2019 poll conducted by Cengage showed that 69 percent of employers

are looking to hire people with “soft” skills, like the ability to communicate
effectively. Reading books is the best way to increase your exposure to
new words, learned in context.

Want to be sure your home is reader-friendly?

You may want to pick up a copy of Nancie Atwell’s “The Reading
Zone.” It’s a quick, inspiring read penned by one of the most
influential reading teachers in the world and the first recipient of
the Varkey Foundation’s Global Teacher Prize.

You can look for it at your local bookstore or find it online.

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Helps prevent age-related cognitive decline

The National Institute on Aging recommends reading books and
magazines as a way of keeping your mind engaged as you grow older.

Although research hasn’t proven conclusively that reading books

prevents diseases like Alzheimer’s, studies  show that seniors who read
and solve math problems every day maintain and improve their cognitive
functioning.

And the earlier you start, the better. A 2013 study conducted by Rush
University Medical Center found that people who’ve engaged in mentally
stimulating activities all their lives were less likely to develop the plaques,
lesions, and tau-protein tangles found in the brains of people with
dementia.


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Reduces stress
In 2009, a group of researchers measured the effects of yoga, humor,
and reading on the stress levels of students in demanding health science
programs in the United States.

The study found that 30 minutes of reading lowered blood pressure, heart
rate, and feelings of psychological distress just as effectively as yoga and
humor did.

The authors concluded, “Since time constraints are one of the most
frequently cited reasons for high stress levels reported by health science
students, 30 minutes of one of these techniques can be easily
incorporated into their schedule without diverting a large amount of time
from their studies.”
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Prepares you for a good night’s rest

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic suggest reading as part of a regular sleep
routine.

For best results, you may want to choose a print book rather than reading
on a screen, since the light emitted by your device could keep you awake
and lead to other unwanted health outcomes.

Doctors also recommend that you read somewhere other than your
bedroom if you have trouble falling asleep.


Helps alleviate depression symptoms
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British philosopher Sir Roger Scruton once wrote, “Consolation from

imaginary things is not an imaginary consolation.” People with depression
often feel isolated and estranged from everyone else. And that’s a feeling
books can sometimes lessen.

Reading fiction can allow you to temporarily escape your own world and
become swept up in the imagined experiences of the characters. And
nonfiction self-help books can teach you strategies that may help you
manage symptoms.

That’s why the United Kingdom’s National Health Service has begun
Reading Well, a Books on Prescription program, where medical experts
prescribe self-help books curated by medical experts specifically for
certain conditions.
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May even help you live longer

A long-term health and retirement study  followed a cohort of 3,635
adult participants for a period of 12 years, finding that those who read
books survived around 2 years longer than those who either didn’t read
or who read magazines and other forms of media.

The study also concluded that people who read more than 3 1/2 hours
every week were 23 percent likely to live longer than those who didn’t
read at all.

What should you be reading?

So, what should you be reading? The short answer is: Whatever you can
get your hands on.

There was a time when remote regions had to rely on librarians traversing
the mountains with books stuffed in saddlebags. But that’s hardly the
case today. Just about everyone can access vast libraries contained in
cellphones and tablets.

Not sure what to read with your kids?

Pick up a copy of Roger Sutton’s “A Family of Readers,” which is 
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packed with age- and genre-specific recommendations.

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You can look for it at your local bookstore or find it online.

If you’re pressed for time, devote a few minutes daily to a blog on a niche
topic. If you’re looking for an escape, fantasy or historical fiction can
transport you out of your own surroundings and into another world
altogether.

If you’re on a career fast-track, read nonfiction advice offered by someone

who’s already arrived. Consider it a mentorship you can pick up and put
down when it suits your schedule.

One thing to note: Don’t read solely on a device. Flip through print books,
too.

Studies have shown repeatedly that people who read print books score
higher on comprehension tests and remember more of what they read
than people who read the same material in a digital form.

That may be, in part, because people tend to read print more slowly than
they read digital content.

Bypass the binge-watching from time to time

There’s nothing wrong with watching an entire television series, start to
finish, in a single weekend — just as there’s nothing wrong with eating a
large, luscious dessert.

But binge-watching TV probably needs to be an occasional treat rather

than your main source of intellectual stimulation. Research shows that
prolonged TV viewing, especially for children, may change the brain in
unhealthy ways.

The takeaway
Reading is very, very good for you. Research shows that regular reading:

improves brain connectivity

increases your vocabulary and comprehension

empowers you to empathize with other people

aids in sleep readiness

reduces stress
lowers blood pressure and heart rate

fights depression symptoms

prevents cognitive decline as you age

contributes to a longer life

It’s especially important for children to read as much as possible because 

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the effects of reading are cumulative. However, it’s never too late to begin

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