The habit of reading should be incorporated by everyone, and it gives us benefits on many levels.
In this article we will see what these reasons are so that you are encouraged to read more. In reality, there is no need to force yourself to read a certain type of reading, and there are so many possibilities that it is impossible for us not to find that type of book that we like.
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The 12 benefits of reading (proven by science)
It is highly advisable to dedicate a small part of our day to reading something that we like . Soon we will understand most of the reasons why it turns out to be an excellent habit. Not only is it a great way to pass the time, it has cognitive benefits but also on many other levels.
Below we are going to show the main benefits of reading and that have been proven by science. You may be a little lazy at first if it is not a habit that you have incorporated, but it is worth giving it a try.
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1. It makes us feel better and more relaxed
Reading is an excellent pastime . It has been shown that after ten minutes of reading, our heart begins to beat more slowly and the muscles relax. Let’s say that it can be an effective method to reduce stress.
2. Fight insomnia
There are people who turn to reading as an effective way to fall asleep . Because it is a good way to relax and take our minds off our daily problems, we can say that reading is a good way to relax and combat insomnia effectively.
3. Develop empathy
Psychological studies confirm that those who read develop empathy . The data shows that regular readers end up being above the population average. It is attributed to a greater ability to understand situations, moods and interpersonal relationships.
4. Acquire neural plasticity
This is one of the greatest benefits of reading proven by science. People who read regularly acquire greater plasticity and mental agility . They are people who sharpen their minds and are very good at relating ideas, being able to solve problems faster and more effectively.
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5. Get cognitive reserve
This point is directly related to the previous one, and it is a great benefit of reading that should definitely encourage you to start right now. It has been scientifically proven that people who read regularly do not develop dementias such as Alzheimer’s until later in life . This is because reading represents training that exercises skills such as memory or attention span.
6. Gain vocabulary richness
People who read have more lexical repertoire . By spending a lot of time reading texts they are exposed to words that they would not otherwise finish learning. And you don’t need to read technical or scientific books for that; reading to pass time also develops varied, complete and correct vocabulary.
7. Being a successful person
Professional success has been positively correlated with people who read . Many executives of large companies are well aware that reading is an exercise and a fundamental source of learning to become successful people. They are empowered by the habit and obviously also by the content.
8. Get smarter
On a global level, reading makes you smarter . We have already seen some points that go in this direction, and that is that reading increases empathy and mental agility but also the ability to concentrate, social perception and thinking skills in general. We recommend reading regularly to improve cognitive skills.
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9. Extend life expectancy
Some studies have positively correlated the habit of reading with life expectancy . People who read books for about 30 minutes a day have been shown to live an average of nearly two years longer than those who don’t. Without a doubt, this has to be related to a large extent to the cognitive advantages that reading gives, although also.
10. learn
There is no doubt that this is one of the most well-known benefits of reading . Reading is an essential means to achieve knowledge, and it can also clear up doubts that we have had for a long time. Surely some of the things we consider have been solved by thinkers, scientists, adventurers, etc. It is a great advantage to access the knowledge of other people.
11. It allows you to take advantage of the time
Many people spend a lot of time each day in places like public transportation . The journeys, even if they are only 15 minutes, give us an opportunity to read a little every day and take advantage of the time to cultivate ourselves. It is better to forget about wasting this precious time rambling on social networks without any sense. It is also applicable in queues, lunch breaks, etc.
12. It opens your mind
Scientific studies show that another benefit of reading is that it opens the mind . Above all, this occurs in those people who like to read fiction novels, and not so much in people who read non-fiction texts. This is a quality to see things in perspective and question things such as what seems culturally normal to us.
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Bibliographic references
- Castle, A. (2004). Madrid: Seven Seas .
- Dehaene, S. (2015). Learning to read: From cognitive science to the classroom (Science that barks… Mayor series). Madrid: XXI Century .
- Wolf. M. (2008). How we learn to read: history and science of the brain and reading. Barcelona: Edebe .
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.