From time to time, we like to pass a long a list of recommended books to you because we think you’ll enjoy them. But did you know that reading benefits both your physical and your mental health throughout your lifetime?
The process of reading utilizes a network of circuits and signals in your brain, and researchers have used MRI scans in their studies that show that as you read over time, those complex networks get stronger, and that effect occurs not only while reading but also for days afterward. Additionally, the language-processing and sensorimotor regions of the brain are also strengthened.
Does it matter what type of book you are reading? Here is an interesting find: studies show that reading fiction can actually increase your ability to emphasize with others. By exploring, connecting, and “experiencing” the lives of the characters in the book, the reader can develop a heightened ability to understand the thoughts, feelings, and personal beliefs of those characters. This experience translates directly to the reader’s real world, and is particularly important in developing and maintaining the readers own personal and social relationships.
Reading can help us to become more socially aware. Reading about different characters in different situations than our own, help us gain insight into different cultures, economic status, family situations, and more.
Reading helps to develop a larger vocabulary which can directly influence everything from scores on standardized tests and college admission, to job opportunities. A higher vocabulary equals a greater ability to communicate with others effectively.
Reading can help to reduce stress! Just 30 minutes of reading can lower blood pressure, heart rate, relieve muscle tension and feelings of psychological distress, such as anxiety, just as effectively as yoga, walking, or diving into a distracting movie. Why does this work? Scientists theorize that, in part, it’s because of the amount of focus that reading requires, directing the reader’s attention to a single task, just like in meditation. Additionally, getting lost in a good book helps the reader to escape into a state of consciousness, one free from the actual stressors in their daily life. It’s also been found that reading can give some relief to people who deal with depression by allowing for a temporary escape from feelings of isolation and estrangement by diving into the lives and experiences of the characters in the book.
Reading can help you get a better night’s sleep. In fact, doctors at the Mayo Clinic recommend reading as a part of everyone’s regular evening routine. There’s an additional recommendation: it may be best to choose a print book rather that reading from a screen, as the light emitted from an e-reader or other device could keep you awake longer. In fact, the blue light that is emitted from electronic devices has been shown to actually inhibit the release of melatonin in your brain, thus keeping you more alert and preventing you from sliding easily into drowsiness.
Another interesting point regarding reading on a digital device: studies have shown that people who read print books score higher on comprehension tests and remember more that people who read the same material on a digital device. That may be because people who read print books tend to read more slowly that those that read digital content.
Reading can help to prevent cognitive decline as we age. The National Institute on Aging recommends reading as a way of keeping your mind engaged, and suggests that seniors who read and work on math problems (think puzzles!) every day maintain and can even improve cognitive functioning. And though you may not be a senior just yet, the earlier you start, the better. A Rush University Medical Center study found that people who have been reading and doing other mentally stimulating exercises throughout their lives were less likely to develop the plaques, lesions, and protein tangles that are found in people who have been diagnosed with dementia.
The take-away here is: pick up a good book! It’s much more than a guilty pleasure. It’s making time to care for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Escaping into a good book literally changes your mind.
