When was the last time you picked up a good book? You may want to head to your local library after learning more about the many health benefits of reading.
- Improves cognitive ability
Reading can slow down cognitive decline as you age and even prevent memory loss. A young person’s cognitive skills will build as they read and older readers will benefit from a mentally stimulating activity to decrease cognitive decline.
- Reduces stress and depression
Get lost in a good book and forget about your worries. One study showed reading reduced stress by 68 percent. Of course, you may want to pick a relaxing story that won’t make you feel more stressed.
- Builds empathy
Reading can help you empathize and strengthen relationships. The characters you read about can help you understand feelings, which can help you deal with those in the real world. This is especially beneficial for children learning about relationships and their own identity.
- Beneficial for sleep
Reading a good book before bed can help you sleep. In fact, a recent study found that reading before bed improved sleep quality. Make sure you select a paper book and not an e-reader. Looking at screens before bed is stimulating and decreases the natural surge of melatonin your body produces.
- Prolongs your life
Perhaps the ultimate benefit, one long-term study found that those who read books live almost two years longer than those who don’t read.
Research suggests you need just 30 minutes of reading a day to reap the benefits. Wouldn’t it be worth it to your health to make the time to read? Check out these wonderful resources on San Juan Regional Medical Center’s Health Library to learn more:
Reading to kids to help their development
Reading early to help children grow into better-adjusted teens
Reading aloud and the link to intelligence