Reading is something that brings more than just entertainment— it can bring all sorts of benefits to your life, from your concentration to your cognitive abilities. Unfortunately, as technology is on the rise and distractions such as social media and other apps are taking up a large majority of our time, more and more of us have started to find ourselves reading less often.
However, making more time for reading in your schedule can be one of the best things you do for your well-being. If you’ve never been much of a reader before, the good news is that it’s never too late to start. Even if you’re living in an assisted living facility looking back on your life and wishing you had read more, here are five reasons you should start reading more often right away.
Improved Vocabulary
Every time that we read a new word, it goes into our subconscious. Even if we don’t necessarily look up the definition in a dictionary, the context in a book helps our brains form a meaning around the word. Statistics show that people who read often have a much wider range of vocabulary to choose from than those who don’t read.
Not only does an increased vocabulary expand your consciousness, but it is also something you can be proud of when conversing with others. Having a rich vocabulary allows you to communicate in new ways and improve the way you express yourself overall. Not to mention, it also helps you understand the world around you better!
Lowers Your Stress Levels
Transporting yourself to another world in a book is a fantastic way to relax. Rather than turning towards screens or mind-altering substances, a book is a healthy and empowering way to distract you from your day-to-day stresses. In some ways, reading can even be a form of meditation.
When your mind is totally focused on one thing, you’re not spreading your attention thin. Some studies have shown that reading can lower your heart rate and even relax your muscles in the same way that meditation does. If you’re someone that suffers from anxiety, consider reading as a way to bring more peace to your life.
Increases Your Imagination
Unlike a film, reading requires you to paint a picture of a story yourself. You don’t have a director or actors dictating the way a story plays out for you. When you read, your mind is the director. You get to imagine the scenario yourself, from the character’s facial features to the world that they live in. Not to mention, many stories are so far out from our actual reality that they can transport us to a new place that inspires us to tap into new imaginative and creative parts of our brains.
The best writers are the ones that read the most often. When we expose ourselves to other authors’ stories, we start to tap into our own inner author by being inspired by others’ impressive imaginations.
It Brings Joy
Have you ever been in a depressed or angry mood and found yourself reading a story that inspires hope and happiness? Reading has the ability to completely transform our mood and even inspire us to achieve new heights in our lives. We can laugh, we can cry, and we can receive valuable insight from books.
