It’s World Book Day today, and on its 29th birthday, there are events across the world to promote the importance of reading. Reading can be incredibly rewarding and books can change lives, open minds and teach new things. Here are 10 benefits of reading daily:
1. Improves vocabulary
The more you read, the more words you learn, and they’ll inevitably make their way into your everyday vocabulary. Being articulate and well-spoken can help in any career, and knowing that you can speak with confidence can be a great boost to your self-esteem.
2. Reduces stress levels
Reading has the power to transport you to another world and away from your daily routine. By doing so, reading can decrease stress, lower heart rate and reduce blood pressure.
3. Improves writing skills
This goes together with the expansion of your vocabulary, and exposure to well-written work will influence your writing. Learn in the same way that musicians influence one another, and painters use techniques established by previous artists.
4. Helps mental health
Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy. As well as helping you relax, reading can bring about tranquillity, calmness, and peace. Reading self-help books has been shown to help people suffering from certain mood disorders and mild mental illnesses.
5. Develop empathy
Books allow us to experience realities outside of our lives. They teach us to relate to others by often putting us in the shoes of the narrator.
6. Improves memory
If you read a fictional book, your brain is forced to remember the names and nature of various characters. Going back to their history and remembering events or plots is fun and improves your memory.
7. Boosts knowledge and brainpower
Books are filled with interesting facts. Whether you read fiction or non-fiction, books can provide us with information we may not have known. Reading a variety of topics can make you a more knowledgeable person.
8. Improves focus and concentration
Reading requires concentration and focus, as the brain must actively engage with the text to understand and process the information. This helps teach the brain how to concentrate and focus in other areas.
9. Reading before bed can help you sleep
Reading in bed has long been considered a guaranteed way to fall asleep. Distracting yourself from everyday stresses, turning off your television and not scrolling on your phone encourages the body to relax and induces better sleep. Just maybe avoid reading a horror or thriller!
10. Switch off
It provides us with a healthy escape. Reading takes us out of our world (and minds) and into another world inside the pages of a book.
By Emma.
