Don’t get me wrong. I love watching You on Netflix, catching up on the latest and greatest on Bravo TV and endlessly scrolling through Pinterest trying to find home décor inspiration. However, this year I decided that instead of starring at a screen on a lazy Sunday morning or before going to bed, I am going to switch things up and open a book. Personally, I think there’s an array of benefits for doing so, but there’s also proven reasons why reading is good for your health. Here’s what I found while doing research.
Reading is a form of exercise for your brain. While you’re reading, you’re forcing your brain to remember characters, plots and details about the story, which means you’re instantly improving your memory function.
It’s relaxing. We tend to think that going online or browsing our Instagram feed will take our minds off things that stress us out, but that’s far from the truth. Unfortunately more times than not, this causes you to feel less relaxed. You start to wonder why you’re not backpacking through Europe like your best friend is or end up stressing out about how to get your hands on the newest $70 top your local boutique is featuring on their Insta story. On the other hand, research has shown that reading can decrease stress by up to 68%.
It makes you more empathetic. According to RealSimple.com, reading about what others are thinking or feeling, gives us the chance to relate to them and understand other emotions we may not be open to feeling ourselves.
Helps fight Alzheimer’s disease. This one was a surprise to me but it makes sense. Like mentioned before, our brain is exercising when we’re reading. Therefore, it engages our brain in more ways than other less stimulating activities do.
Despite the high-tech gadgets we’re exposed to on a daily basis, there’s still something special about picking up a real book (not an e-book) and diving into a brand new story. So, next time you’re on Amazon or drive by a Barnes & Noble, I highly recommend picking up a book. I’m currently reading Before We Were Yours.
