4 unexpected benefits of reading
As children, we almost universally receive strong encouragement to read widely and often. Whether the advice comes from school teachers, our parents, or some other influential figure, the advisor usually would say such vague things as, “reading is good for you,” or, “reading makes you smarter.” As adults, very few people would dispute these notions, but, in our more advanced states, we can indulge ourselves by trying to understand why reading is good for you.
1. Big library, huge vocabulary
According to a study from the University of California, Berkeley, children’s literature can expose children to 50 per cent more vocabulary than prime time television programming.
2. Fight against dementia
Reading, along with other cognitively engaging activities such as games, puzzles, and writing, help to ward off dementia. A study found that the brains of people who spent more time participating in these activities have a slower rate of decline than those who not.
3. Stress buster
Some people look down their noses at fiction, but there is evidence to show that reading fiction can help the brain cope better with stress and uncertainty. A study examined the difference in how individuals cope with stress after spending time reading fictional short stories or factual essays. Those who read fiction were more comfortable with ambiguity and less concerned with the need for order. One study from the University of Sussex concluded that reading can reduce stress by as much as 68 per cent.
4. Empathy is em-portant
With the modern world retreating more and more into isolated bubbles in which people are surrounded by their own viewpoints, empathy is vital. By the transient property, therefore, reading is also vital. A study showed that people who read literary fiction are better equipped to understand what others are thinking by reading their emotions. This ability to understand the mental state of another is crucial because it enables us to build complex social relationships.
Aside from the benefits listed here, what’s your favourite reason to read? Let us know in the comments section below.