Reading is one thing everyone says they want to do more of but never do. One of those “work out more” New Year’s resolutions.
Well, reading is actually something that is very beneficial to people. It goes further than just a productive way to spend your free time, in the rare moments you have it. Reading can be helpful for the body and mind, and you probably have more time to do it than you think. If you need some motivation to introduce reading into your life, here are the benefits and advice on how to incorporate it.
1. Reduce Stress
Add together work, kids and housework, and you get a very stressful equation. You probably don’t need to hear that life gets hectic, but reading can be an escape from that believe it or not.
Reading requires a quiet environment and a cozy seat, two things that will undoubtedly help you catch a break. Books can capture a reader and transport them to a life other than their own, an imaginary world guided by the words on a page. With millions of options to choose from, there is guaranteed to be a book that helps you escape from daily stress.
2. Mental Health
Your brain needs exercise just as much as the rest of your body and reading does just that. Keeping your mind active is proven to reduce the progression of Alzheimer’s and dementia. It is important to not only keep your brain strong but to also strengthen your memory.
When you read a book, you have to memorize the constantly fluctuating plot and characters over the course of multiple chapters. With every new memory you are making just by reading the words on a page, the more memory pathways, or synapses, are being created in your brain. Reading can literally enhance your brain function and keep you from developing life threatening illnesses. What more of a benefit could there be?
3. Knowledge
With every new book that you read, you will come across new words and information that you’ve never heard. Reading exposes you to language skills, vocabulary, and ideas that can shape you intellectually.
The higher level of knowledge and communication skills that will build up as you read will directly impact the confidence and impression you leave on other people. This can benefit you in not only the professional world but also in social aspects, thus improving your life on multiple levels.
How to Fit Reading Into Your Daily Life
It can be difficult to find any kind of free time in the adult world. Trying to find a way to include anything besides eating, sleeping and working into a hectic schedule can feel impossible, let alone finding hours to read a book. Maybe you could read a few pages here and there, but you’ll never truly soak in the story as it is intended to be read.
That being said, have you ever thought of reading a summary? Usually when you hear the word summary, you think of a very short synopsis of the book with very little detail. An app called Blinkist has created a way to read a shorter version of the story without omitting important details.
Blinkist is a monthly subscription-based app that separates the major points of books and makes them into a mini series of concise information. With a massive selection of summaries, it puts the option to learn, listen or read about anything you want into your hands anywhere you are. You have the option to read these summaries or listen to them on an audio format. This makes it easier to gain the knowledge or enjoyment on the go and when you find a little free time. A Blinkist discount code is offered to those who are interested in embracing their inner book worm.
Whether you can scrape together a few minutes of time or listen in the car, books are unlimited sources of knowledge and enjoyment that greatly benefit anyone’s life.
I totally agree with the benefits. Plus, reading invited me to write. Cheers! I will definitely make more time to read more and will always look for new books to read.