“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” – Richard Steele
It’s most likely not news to you that there are so many benefits of reading, but I will share a piece of news that you may not know. I am an English major who hated reading. Now, I didn’t hate reading when I chose to be an English major, but it did take some realizations to finally appreciate reading, and now I spend most of my days doing it. Below are my top three reasons why you should read for pleasure, not just because you have to. Although it’s hard to find enough time in the day to sit and read, it’s the same with finding time to work out – you have to make time. Reading is known to be one of the healthiest habits in the world; it teaches you new knowledge, improves you physically and mentally and changes your mindset towards the world.
1. It Constantly Teaches You Something New
As a university student, a huge part of your school work is readings. Reading efficiently and effectively can make a huge difference in your GPA. Like everything else, practice makes perfect. The more you read and take time to understand something, the better you will get. Not only does reading more make you better at it, but it will teach you new vocabulary and writing techniques. Different genres use different writing styles, such as drama and romance, which contain many metaphors and connotative language. Having more intricate vocabulary allows you to better convey your feelings, have better listening skills and overall makes you a better human. Seeing examples makes it easier for you to apply a more extensive vocabulary in your own writing, for example in essays, creative writing or even job applications.
In Anne E. Cunningham’s paper What Reading Does for the Mind, she found that reading actually makes you smarter in general, not just within your writing. This is the most important benefit to me because I am a believer that knowledge is power, and that the sooner you learn to appreciate this fact, the sooner you can cultivate this power. Reading involves several brain functions: visual and auditory processes, phonemic awareness, fluency, comprehension, and more. This process is much more intricate than listening or watching something, and therefore boosts brain activity. Research done by Haskins Laboratories for the Science of the Spoken and Written Word suggests that reading is like lifting weights and keeping your muscles toned, as it allows you to take in more information and to process it.
2. It Makes You Feel Physically and Mentally Better
Reading can make your body and your mind feel better. Taking even a short time out of the day and sitting down in quiet to read is extremely relaxing. In fact, a study done by cognitive neuropsychologist Dr. David Lewis found that “subjects only needed to read, silently, for six minutes to slow down the heart rate and ease tension in the muscles.” It only takes six minutes of the day to slow down and relax. Dr. Lewis continued to say that “you can escape from the worries and stresses of the everyday world and spend a while exploring the domain of the author’s imagination.”
One of the brain’s most important functions is memory. Reading is one of the most effective ways to engage the brain and improve its function, but as the saying goes, “If you don’t use it, you (unfortunately) lose it.” Alzheimer’s disease kills more people yearly than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. One of the number one prevention methods is engaging the mind and improving memory through practice. According to the Alzheimer’s association, “mental stimulation strengthens connections between nerve cells in the brain.”
One last fact about how reading can benefit your life: According to a study done by Yale University, those who read books for a least 30 minutes a day live an average of 23 months longer than non-readers and magazine readers. Something as easy as picking up a book and reading for half an hour could actually correlate with a longer lifespan!
3. It Changes Your View of the World
The more you read, the more open your mind will become. The different types of books you read can expose your mind to different parts of the world, cultures, values, and beliefs, thereby helping you understand ideas and people with different perspectives in mind. Reading books that challenge your opinion can make it stronger and allow you to see other angles. Research done at the University of Toronto that studied participants who read short-story fiction found that these readers experienced less of a need for “cognitive closure.” This meant that they tested as more open-minded than non-readers. These participants didn’t feel the need to seek out conclusions or unneeded information. They just accepted what is as it is.
Furthermore, a study done by Emory University found that reading activates neurons in the central sulcus of the brain, which activate to create the feeling of actually experiencing the sensations the book is describing. This can make a reader feel like they are in a character’s shoes, allowing the reader to become attached to the character and empathizing with them. This can help aid you in your real life when dealing with tough situations. You can think back to a similar situation from what you’ve read and this can help guide you just like a mentor.