We’ve all grown up hearing that ‘books are your best friends’ but somehow today majority of us spend our free time scrolling through social media or watching tv shows on our laptop, rarely do we pick up a book which is not a part of our course readings to read.
Despite the popularization of eBooks, there has been a steep decline in reading by individuals of all age. Even though most of us have apps on our phones for news and books, we are often distracted by social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and of course Netflix!
You can argue that with so much college course readings and seminar preparations, there is barely any time to read other books or even catch up with the news but reading of any sorts is extremely important as it expands our knowledge, writing skills and opens up our minds to things we would have not thought of before. Be it books, articles, news updates on your phones, reading is a necessity not only to make us aware of the world but also to help think beyond the box and expand our creativeness.
I’m pretty sure there is always a slight amount of time in your day where you can quickly read few pages of a book or read an article online or catch up with the news rather than watch a video!
Here are a few reasons that prove that reading is necessary
1) Reading can make you more creative and expose you to new things
Reading books or scrolling through online magazines helps you be more creative. It makes you realize the various topics to think about and talk about to your friends, it helps you learn to see things differently and boost your imagination. By reading new things, you get the opportunity to explore new information.
2) Reading helps reduce stress levels
According to research done by the University of Sussex, reading for even six minutes a day helps reduce your stress level by at least 68%!!
When you’re lost in a story, your mind is distracted from all the stress and problems you’ve been thinking about thus loosening our muscles and reducing stress levels. Reading has a positive impact on our brain and it also helps us sleep better so if you’re extremely stressed or are unable to sleep, read a few pages of a book and I’m sure you’ll be just fine!
3) Reading helps in developing yourself and making you more empathetic
Reading helps to improve yourself as it makes you understand and take better decisions. When you’re reading a book, have you ever felt as if you’re a part of the book and you know all the characters on a personal level?
By reading stories, in particular, helps make you more empathetic because when you read you can connect with the characters and understand their feelings. So, reading helps you understand others in different circumstances.
4) Reading helps stimulate the Brain
According to a 2013 study done by the Neurology Journal, reading books helps stimulate the brain along with improving memory.
Reading helps you learn new things thus stimulating your brain and improving memory
5) Reading helps you experience things which you could never experience before
Reading helps us experience new things, whether it is travelling to a new destination with the help of a book, feeling like you’re experiencing an adventure whilst reading a fictional book or going into a different era reading books based on history and culture! It’s as if you’re transported to a whole new world with a different story each time!
As a student, I know it can be hard to find time to read, but I hope after learning about these 5 benefits of reading, it motivates you to make a conscious effort in pushing yourself to read more.