8 Ways Reading Can Improve Your Mental And Physical Health

We’re taught how to read in elementary school but we’re never taught how it influences our mental and physical health. In this article, we will learn about the benefits of reading proven by expert researchers.

Reading improves brain function:

Researchers used MRI images to confirm that reading includes a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. These networks become greater in strength and sophistication as your reading skill matures.

Researchers used functional MRI scans to test the influence of reading a novel on the brain in one study performed in 2013. Participants in the study read the novel "Pompeii" over the course of nine days. As the story progressed, more and more parts of the brain were active.

Brain scans revealed that brain connection increased throughout the reading time and for several days thereafter, particularly in the somatosensory cortex, the portion of the brain that responds to physical sensations such as movement and pain.

Improves your capacity to empathize:

People who read literary fiction — novels that explore the inner lives of individuals — have a greater ability to understand the feelings and beliefs of others, according to studies.

This ability is referred to by researchers as "theory of mind," a set of talents required for developing, negotiating, and maintaining social connections.

While a single session of reading literary fiction is unlikely to elicit this sensation, studies demonstrate that long-term fiction readers have a more developed theory of mind.

Increases your vocabulary:

Studies discovered that kids who read books on a regular basis from an early age have huge vocabularies. And the extent of your vocabulary can have an impact on many aspects of your life, from standardized test scores to college admissions and work chances.

According to a 2019 Cengage research, 69 percent of employers want to hire people with "soft" talents, such as excellent communication. Reading books is the best way to broaden your vocabulary and learn new terms in context.

Aids in the prevention of age-related cognitive decline:

Although research has not completely established that reading books prevents diseases such as Alzheimer's, studies suggest that seniors who read and solve mathematical challenges on a daily basis preserve and increase their cognitive functioning.

And the sooner you begin, the better. A 2013 study done by Rush University Medical Center discovered that those who have always taken part in mentally challenging activities were less likely to experience the plaques, lesions, and tau-protein tangles present in dementia patients' brains.

Stress reduction:

A group of experts in the United States investigated the impact of yoga, humor, and reading on the stress levels that students experienced in demanding health science programs in 2009.

The experts discovered that 30 minutes of reading reduced blood pressure, heart rate, and feelings of psychological distress exactly as efficiently as yoga and humor.

Prepares you for a good night's sleep:

For the greatest results, consider a print book over reading on a screen, as the light emitted by your gadget may keep you awake and cause other negative health effects.

Reduces depression symptoms:

Reading fiction allows you to briefly escape your own reality and become engrossed in the characters' imagined experiences. Nonfiction self-help books can also give you ways for dealing with symptoms.

Helps you live longer:

The study also found that persons who read over 3 1/2 hours per week were 23% more likely to live longer lives than those who did not read at all.