Benefits of Reading: How Books Enhance Health & Wellbeing

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The Benefits of Reading

Many people say they “don’t read as much as they’d like”, but they’re missing out on some life-enhancing rewards by not doing so. Reading is good for human health in many ways, including those discussed below.

Increases Knowledge and Intelligence

One way or another, reading increases knowledge. With non-fiction books, the brain processes new facts and stores them in the memory. Even with pure fiction, keen readers may improve their vocabulary, sharpen their minds and become more articulate themselves. Writers are always readers, too.

People can be intelligent without reading. However, reading improves cognitive skills such as concentration, mental acuity and memory recall. And that aids cognitive intelligence. Reading also enhances emotional intelligence by developing traits such as empathy and self-awareness.

Health Benefits

There are several ways that reading benefits human health. In particular, it helps mental health, which affects physical wellbeing.

Here are some notable advantages:

• Reduces stress and helps sleep: Reading relaxes muscles, slows the heartbeat and reduces cortisol in the body (a stress hormone). This has the natural effect of assisting people in getting to sleep, although reading from a paper book rather than a blue-light screen is best.
• Helps with depression: While reading is unlikely to cure depression by itself, focusing on a book combats extreme introspection and pervasive negative thoughts. Escapism is therapeutic in this context.
• Prevents Alzheimer’s Disease: Scientific studies suggest that people who engage in intellectual activities (e.g., reading, chess, puzzles) during early to middle adulthood reduce their chances of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.

Fiction vs Non-Fiction

Non-fiction books are more likely to increase the breadth of knowledge. Still, any type of reading is beneficial to human health.