Why You Should Read

Reason #1: It Improves Your Mind

The brain works like a muscle. Use it often and it grows. Don’t use it and it rots away. Reading stimulates your mind and improves memory, concentration and focus. When you read, your mind does more than just reading the words on the page. As you read, different parts of your mind work together. For example, you may be required to recall past events of the book, decipher hidden meanings in texts and also at times imagine what is currently happening in the book. In the long run, reading can help improve your vocabulary, memory, overall intelligence and prevent mental diseases like dementia. In fact, research has shown that reading helps to reduce the rate of mental deterioration as we age and the decline of other faculties of the mind.

Reason #2: It Alleviates Stress

In this hectic world of the present, we are constantly bombarded by distractions, stress and worrying thoughts. Under such conditions, a book would be a great remedy to your stress! Reading a book you enjoy or losing yourself in a novel is a great way to relax. A novel can transport you to different worlds and keep you entertained, letting tensions drain away. In fact, research has shown the reading can relax your body by lowering your heart rate and reducing the tension in your muscles. So, when you feel stressed, feel free to get a book for yourself! It could be any book and it could be about anything. Try reading for 5 minutes and you’ll see what I mean!

Reason #3: It Allows You to View the World in Different Perspectives

It is easy to just stick to one way of viewing the world. It may be because of our upbringing, the environment we live in and our experiences. Reading allows you to be open to the perspectives of people from different walks of life. Indeed, reading lets us find wonder in the world and imparts useful knowledge to us. When you experience life through the eyes of another person, you encounter different angles on life’s most common problems. The reason why I want to point this out is that most of us are holed up in our own worlds. Due to our busy lifestyles, our busy work schedules and stressful deadlines, we forget the world around us. We end up locked in the boredom and drab of the modern world, where we follow pre-prepared routines. Reading regularly helps us to see more of the world, albeit through a book. An eloquent way to put it would be that reading frees us from our current state of thinking and encourages us to see the world differently.

Reason #4: It Improves Your Knowledge

If knowledge is power, then reading is your superpower. Learning never stops and reading helps you to do just that. Indeed, reading is one of the primary ways to gain knowledge. There are many books of different genres you can read and learn from. Let’s say you are interested in Astrophysics. You could choose a wide array of books, such as those of Stephen Hawking and Neil Degrasse Tyson. Also, there is a huge selection of ebooks available on platforms like Amazon to cater to your learn needs. (Check out my review of the Kindle Oasis at https://bestofwrite.com/2020/11/28/kindle-oasis-a-review/) Therefore, there is absolutely no excuse not to read! In fact, reading is one of the very things that separates successful people from the majority of people. It could even be the reason why you are still not successful today! In this volatile world of the present, reading can help keep you up to date about what’s happening in this world and ensure that you keep a step ahead of others. If you are looking to develop the habit of reading, check out my my article on how to develop habits effectively at https://bestofwrite.com/2020/11/30/how-to-build-a-habit-effectively/. Thank you for reading!