As with everything in life, books and reading as a trend has now come full circle and, with the forced lockdown of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, more and more people of all ages have once again returned to the, for a while, forgotten pleasure of settling down with a good book.
Whether you are more interested in non-fiction, factual books that enlighten and educate you to the ways of the world, geography or major historical events, or moreover you prefer to lose yourself in a fictional thriller such as the reboot of ‘Flatliners’ by J.D. Barker or lighter romance, books are once again experiencing a huge boom in the nation’s consciousness.
1. Reading Improves Your Brain
When you engross yourself in a book that has wholly captured your attention and focus, reading physically involves a complicated natural mix of signals, circuits and networks within your brain. Fascinatingly, as you take on more and more information and you become faster and more adept at reading, learning new words as you go, these networks inside your brain get stronger and more complex.
2. Reading Helps Prevent Cognitive Decline
Regardless of age, reading books undeniably engages the brain in a way that no other activity can do and, therefore, numerous studies have conclusively proven that reading books can stave off memory-based illnesses and produce a sharper and more refined concentration span.
Furthermore, it is far more physically and mentally beneficial to read paper books, rather than on a tablet or smart phone, as the artificial blue light can be damaging and altogether detrimental to your eyes over time. If you find that you are starting to need to hold the book farther away from your eyes, it may be time to consider investing in some reading glasses to prevent eye strain and other eye issues in the future.
3. Reading Transports You Away From Your Problems
Getting lost in a gripping thriller or classic whodunnit is one of the easiest, simplest and most affordable ways of transporting yourself away from the daily grind and, furthermore, can be a fabulous aid to meditation and relaxation.
4. Reading Encourages Empathy
The more books and, significantly, the wider variety of subject matters that you consume as a reader, the more likely you are to be able to empathise with others in your daily life.
More applicable for readers of fiction, learning and literally connecting with the inner thoughts and feelings of different types of characters has been proven by numerous studies to increase the levels and abilities of a reader to appreciate and understand the emotions, feelings, motivations and belief systems of others.
5. Reading Reduces Stress
When you settle down on the sofa with a steaming cup of coffee and a gripping fiction book, you are never more truly ‘in the moment’ as you are right then.
Reading has been proven to reduce the heart rate, relax the muscles in the entirety of the body and calm the mind, body and soul.
I have always enjoyed reading books. I appreciate the actual book rather than a Kindle version or audio book.
I have always been a reader and find that it is a good way for me to destress and clear my mind. Being part of a book club has been a great activity as it gets me to think about and read books that I might not have chosen myself.
I am a READER and have 5 authors that I really like and I keep their books. And reread them ever couple of years and enjoy them each time. I have one book that I bought in 1987 and I reread it ever couple of years. During lockdown I started rereading one author there was 52 of them and I enjoyed each one of them.
I never go a day with out reading!!
For me, reading has never been out of style. I will admit to reading more during lockdown, but that just means reading 4 or 5 books a week instead of my regular 3.