5 Health benefits of reading

It is obvious to forget the pleasure of curling up on your couch, and turning the pages of your favourite book. However, studies reveal that the habit of reading works on the areas of your brain that boosts your memory and attention. We give you some reasons why you should swap those digital screens and computer monitors for a book. 

1.Reading stimulates your brain: People with regular reading habit have sharper memory and a better intellect. This happens when the brain is stimulated and active. It keeps your learning capacity nimble. Just like muscles, the brain benefits from a good workout. And reading is more neurobiologically (of the nervous system) demanding than processing images or speech, according to Lauren Duzbow, Senior Research Editor at Cosmopolitan Magazine, New York. 

2.Reading is stress buster: It is the best way you can relax your body by lowering your heart rate. Interestingly, it works better and fast than other de-stressing methods like listening to music or drinking a hot cup of coffee. When you simply open a book, you get distracted from your daily life. A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading for six minutes can reduce stress by up to 68%. 

3.Reading helps you think clearly: The habit encourages the brain to relate to the cause, effect and significance, whenever you read a story or fiction. This in turn helps in thinking in sequence and improves your ability to think clearly. MRI scans performed on people with reading habit discovered lasting positive results like better focus and comprehension. 

4.Reading makes you more empathetic: A good reader finds it easier to relate to other people. In particular, fictions have the power to help the readers understand what others think by reading their emotions. The impact is more on those who read fiction when compared with other readers. 

5.Reading increases intelligence: This is an obvious and well-known fact. The more you read, the more you will know. Reading good books opens up a whole world of knowledge besides improving your vocabulary. Stronger reading skills at an early age may mean higher intelligence later in life. 

A quick tip: If you already have the habit of reading books, it is all well and good. If you don’t, then you must try cultivating the habit. Simple ways to do that is to have a few set times during which you can read. It can be as minimum as 10 or 15 minutes. Always carry a book with you and read it whenever you find some quiet time. After all, “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body”.