22 Advantages of Reading That Will

Make You Pick Up a Book Today

There are many benefits of reading books, including intellectual and
psychological capacity increase. Every single book you read offers you
endless opportunities of exploring and learning new ideas. When you
read, you gain information and knowledge and you have a plethora of
other benefits as well.

Now let us explore the most important advantages of reading, whether you like
novels or non-fiction books.

What are the benefits of reading?

Murasaki Shikibu, a Japanese woman, wrote the novel “The Tale of Genji” in the
11th century. It consisted of fifty-four chapters revolving around courtly
seduction, and this book is believed to have been the world’s first-ever written
novel.  

In ancient times, people still kept on reading novels. Today, some devices allow
readers to consume stories on their handheld screens rather than from actual
books, making reading convenient and easy. Reading books has been
scientifically proven to provide humans with various benefits, including
enjoyment, information, and pleasure.

Reading books can improve your mental and physical health. The benefits of
reading books can start in childhood and last forever. 
Because we know you’re interested in finding out as much as possible about how
your hobby can improve your life, you will find below detailed explanations about
each separate benefit, split into relevant categories. 

Better vocabulary

According to researchers, children who regularly read books at an early age

develop large vocabularies in the long run. When the child has the benefit of
vocabulary, they affect their academic success by passing the different set tests,
eventually getting college admissions, and have vast job opportunities.

Many employers are looking for people with soft skills, such as communicating
clearly. Benefits of reading books include exposing the reader to new words
directly from the read context, increasing your soft skills.

Better communication skills

Reading gives you a lot to think about; hence you will continually have your mind
wander and explore different issues and stories. Having a good imagination and
quality vocabulary gives you an upper hand when constructing simple and
complex sentences suited for different occasions like interviews and simple
conversations.

Most readers find it easy to express themselves, and talking about their emotions
and feelings or having simple conversations is an effortless thing.
Stress relief

Whether it’s a novel or an article, a great story will distract you from the daily
tasks and issues. When you have your hands on a well-written novel, it will
transport you to another realm, while an engaging article will keep you focused
on the present; the tension you have is automatically drained away, allowing your
entire body to relax. 

In 2009, the University of Sussex carried out a study and found that there was a
68% reduction of stress levels by reading for only six minutes. How cool is that? A
great book will have you venture into places where your stress levels can’t. 

Depression relief

Scruton, a British philosopher, said that the idea that one can escape from reality
is not imaginary consolation. Depressed people always feel isolated and alienated
from others. Reading books and articles can help minimize these feelings.

Reading books can help you escape your world and experience the fictional
adventures of the characters. At the same time, reading self-help books can allow
patients with depression to better understand themselves and their symptoms
and the issues they are facing. 

These self-help books are actually highly recommended by doctors and experts. 

Health benefits

All readers will tell you that being immersed in a great book can stimulate the
brain’s various functions. Different researchers have proven this and continue to
support the different health benefits accrued from reading. 
When we read, we improve our empathy and memory. You will feel better and
become more positive in life.  Science indicates that reading can help with
depression, reduce stress, and minimize the chances of getting Alzheimer’s
disease later in life.

On top of this, reading has been found to decrease heart rate and blood
pressure.

Slows age related cognitive decline

The National Institute on Aging highly recommends keeping your mind active

through reading books, magazines and articles as you age.

Although research isn’t yet conclusive, it’s clear that reading books helps seniors
maintain their cognitive function and prevents the occurrence of different
memory diseases like Alzheimer’s.

A study carried out in 2013 by Rush University Medical Centre revealed that

people who regularly engage in mentally stimulating activities were less likely to
develop brain lesions and plaque build-ups linked to people with dementia.