What does reading books give a person? What advantages does reading have over other available leisure activities?
Surely, many of us have learned an unshakable truth since childhood - reading books is useful. But to whom and why is not entirely clear. What does reading books give to a person? What is their advantage over other sources of information? And, if it really exists, then why do people read so little now?
The benefits of reading books - 10 reasons!
How nice it is to smell books and enjoy turning the pages. It’s hard to tear yourself away from a good book; it pulls you in and makes you completely immerse yourself in the world described there. However, not only aesthetic pleasure can be obtained from reading, it also has other benefits that can have a beneficial effect on both mental state and health. Let's look at the main reasons why people should read books:
1.Increasing intelligence level
Having opened an interesting book, you can go on an exciting journey through the world of knowledge. There is nothing better than developing your intellect with a good and interesting book. Therefore, it is recommended to start reading from a very early age. When we were children, our parents and teachers always encouraged us to read instead of spending too much time on television or video games. According to a study conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, when children read books, they learn 50% more words and comprehend information better than those who spend the same time watching TV. It can be said that reading is a great way for children to learn new vocabulary. If you want to maintain a fast reading speed, you should choose a traditional paper book. The study showed that electronic publications can reduce reading speed by approximately 20-30%.
2.Improving brain activity processes
Jogging is an excellent workout for cardiovascular health, while reading, in turn, has a beneficial effect on brain function. It is recommended to develop a regular reading habit to maintain better memory. The aging process is inevitable. As we age, not only external changes occur, but internal processes also change - brain function deteriorates, and memory begins to fail. Luckily, there are solutions that can help us slow down aging. In addition to eating healthy and exercising, reading can also help improve brain health. A study found that books can reduce the risk of mental illness by 32%.
Read books every day for at least 30 minutes!
3.Developing empathy
The benefit of reading books is that they make us more empathetic. When we read fiction, we understand the emotions and thoughts of the characters and experience their feelings. Many studies have shown that books allow us to communicate well with other people. Understanding others and their mental states is an important skill in a society where we must build complex social relationships with others.
4.Reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease
This is one of the most important reasons why reading books is beneficial. Reading makes your brain work, so it is considered a good exercise for the brain. According to numerous recent studies, activities such as playing chess, solving puzzles and reading can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 2.5 times! They help improve brain function, power and memory capacity. If people do not exercise, their body becomes weaker and this leads to many medical problems. Also, reading books is necessary for the health of brain activity. It is recommended to read when you have free time. Children need to love books to become smarter and more compassionate, while for adults it can help train their brains, improve memory and prevent Alzheimer's disease.
5.Relaxation
Read books and then you will have great relaxation after a long day of work. It's so great to lie on your bed, turn the pages of a book, enjoying moments of peace before bed. According to a study conducted by scientists from the University of Sussex, reading can help reduce stress and anxiety by around 68%. Regardless of the book you decide to read, immersing yourself in what is written will help you avoid existing problems and worries and draw you into exploring the author's creative world.
6.Improved sleep
If you experience insomnia or find it difficult to fall asleep, reading is a great solution to these problems. Scientists always recommend picking up a book before going to bed. Reading signals your body and brain to relax, so falling asleep in this state can be very easy. Research has found that watching TV or using your phone before bed can distract you from sleep. People who prefer books not only fall asleep faster, but also improve the quality of their dreams.
7.Reading books is contagious
Children may think that reading is a boring activity that is not fun. Read books, and then your child will start repeating after you too! You can start reading aloud to them, and then before you know it, they are already sitting with the book in their hands, enthusiastically turning over page after page. Recommended reading for children while they are attending primary school to inspire knowledge and exploration of new discoveries.
8.Improving analytical thinking skills
This point especially applies to mystical or detective novels, where the reader constantly has to analyze events and calculate the next episodes. However, any other book can also use this useful skill. It’s nice to read and find phrases on the pages of a work that correspond to your own thoughts or, on the contrary, reveal something new and useful. You can take notes and mark particularly impressive moments along the way. This exercise will develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Reading books also gives you the opportunity to discuss its contents with other people, exchanging opinions and finding true meaning.
9.Improved concentration
Modern people are always busy with something, and sometimes it is difficult for them to maintain attention on one thing for a long time. When you have to multitask, it's easy to get distracted from what's important. This is especially true for social networks and other instant messengers. As a result, stress levels increase and the work done leaves much to be desired. It is important to develop concentration and not allow distractions to affect your productivity. Reading books will help you with this. When a person reads, they need to focus on the story and become immersed in the plot and details. Spending time with a book allows you to develop the skill of staying focused on one thing for an extended period.
10.Improving writing skill
Reading books will not only help you develop reading speed, but also improve your writing skills by expanding your vocabulary. A well-written book can become a guide to competent communication and sentence construction. In addition, during the reading process, a person is able not only to remember the plot, but also to note grammatical details, which can subsequently also affect the quality of writing. In the future, it will even be possible to distinguish between the styles of writers and find those whose style is closer. This is also a kind of aesthetics of reading, when a person can select from many other books those worthy of his attention.
Why don't we read
According to statistics, about 30% of Russian adults do not read at all. Almost half of the country's population has not read a single book over the past year. Book circulation over 10 years has decreased by 4 times, and the circulation of periodicals (magazines, newspapers) by 5. These data are not encouraging. Is not it? Why did we stop reading?
There are several possible answers to the question:
- Excessive reading in childhood. Remember how at school in the summer they forced you to read a whole list of literature? After this, many schoolchildren developed an aversion to studying. Such tasks were tantamount to torture for them. It is not surprising that as adults they prefer computer games or watching movies to books.
- Books cannot compete with television, the Internet, and social networks. Remember how long ago you saw a teenager writing an essay by hand, and even using books? It is much easier to download it on the World Wide Web, print it out and submit it, without even delving into the essence of the text. Unfortunately, this happens in many areas.
- No free time. After a busy day at work, hardly anyone wants to relax by reading. Most people spend time in front of the TV while doing some household chores. But is this the kind of rest they need? According to statistics from one of the Russian magazines, per day on 7 main channels they show 160 fights, more than 200 murders, 6 robberies and a little more than 300 bad news. Do you still think watching TV is a good rest for your brain?
Learn to analyze and focus
While reading, you not only absorb information, but also evaluate it. Whether you liked the story or not, whether the author’s style is good or not, whether the characters acted appropriately or strangely. Thoughtful reading develops Developing Critical Thinking through Literature Reading analytical skills.
The ability to think critically will be useful in real life, for example, to make a decision in a difficult situation or complete a difficult project at work or study.
Detective novels or short stories will help develop analytical skills: read and try to solve the crime.
Reading also helps you learn to concentrate. To read a novel, you need to focus on one story and direct all your attention to the book. This skill will come in handy in your professional life: you won’t be distracted by small things and will begin to cope with tasks faster.
Slow down brain aging
According to a study by scientists from Cleveland University, if you don't read now, you're likely to lose your memory in old age. Patients with Alzheimer's disease have reduced activities in midlife compared with healthy control-group members. Without regular activity, the neural connections in your brain are weakened - you begin to think more slowly and think worse. Books and articles train the brain and help avoid this. In addition, daily reading prevents Life-span cognitive activity, neuropathologic burden, and cognitive aging from developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Relax after work
An interesting story or a fascinating science fiction story helps you at least temporarily forget about a difficult day at work, difficulties in your personal life, or other problems. Scientists from Sussex have proven that reading is the best way to quickly cope with stress. Just 6 minutes in the company of a good book reduces Reading can help reduce stress stress by 68%: the heart rate slows down and the muscles relax. Other calming activities are not as effective: listening to music reduces stress by 61%, walking by 42%, and playing video games by 21%.
What if…
So let's imagine that all the books suddenly disappeared. Both paper and electronic. There are still articles on websites, Wikipedia, videos, everything except books.
I suspect some people won't notice this at first. But the first to feel the discomfort, of course, will be the workers of libraries, bookstores and those who constantly read. It’s hard not to notice the suddenly empty shelves. Next will be teachers, schoolchildren and students. Try to teach a medical student from YouTube videos. Immediately the question is: will you go to such a doctor?
Perhaps this will work as long as there are teachers with a full stock of knowledge. But there are still no books. Children will have to tell fairy tales from memory or invent them.
