There are several reasons why people should read. Reading is fun and it is good for us. Reading gives us a short escape from our reality. It even transports us to very different realms that we would never see. It also lets us know people or characters that we would never meet. And it instills various emotions that we may never feel.

But in this article, we will focus only on the reasons backed by science. Here are the five scientific reasons why you should be reading more books.  Without further ado;

You will be a better person

There are two parallel studies that say reading makes you a better person. Emory University did a study in 2013. Which compared the brains of people after they read and the people who didn’t read. They used brain scans. Which showed that reading something makes someone somehow visualize it.

Psychologists of New School for Social Research in New York. David Comer Kidd and Emanuele Castano have proved that reading literary fiction. Enhances people’s ability to understand and detect other’s emotions. Which is a crucial skill when navigating a complex social relationship.

Reading helps in keeping your brain sharp

Reading keeps your mind sharp. There is a study in the American Academy of Neurology that proves the latter statement. The study says that reading is essential all throughout a person’s life. From its childhood up to old age. Study shows that people who read all throughout their lives exhibit better memory. And Mental abilities.

It reduces stress

In 2009 in the United Kingdom, at the University of Sussex. Made a study on how different activities help lower stress. By measuring muscle tension and heart rate.

The study says that reading a book or a newspaper for about six minutes. Can lower people’s stress more than going for a walk. In the study, reading lowered people’s stress by 68 percent. While going for a walk reduces about 42 percent. Other activities such as drinking coffee reduces about 54 percent. And listening to music lowered about 61 percent.

Reading makes that perfect way to relieve stress. The authors said, because of the ability to get distracted and completely immersed in a book. 

Reading may add years to your life

In Yale University, a team followed more than 3600 adults ages over 50 for 12 years. In this study, they have discovered that people read books for about 30 minutes per day. Lived two years longer than those who read newspapers and magazines.

The author even wrote, “The benefits of reading books include a longer life in which to read them.” As the participants who read more than three and a half hours per week have 23 percent that they are less likely to die. While those who read less than three and a half hours per week have 17 percent that they are less likely to die.

It helps to increase knowledge

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go,”  Dr. Seuss once wrote. Starting from a very young age, having the chance to dive into good books can open up a whole world of knowledge.

The exposure to vocabulary. While reading leads to higher general tests of intelligence for children. Having stronger early reading skills may lead to higher intelligence later in life.

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