As university students, it can be hard to find time to read for pleasure.
Weekly textbook readings, assignment deadlines, and studying for tests take up much of our time—and when we do have free time, many people don’t want to spend their time doing extra reading (even if it’s not for school). Even if you are an avid reader, like myself, school definitely makes it difficult to fit in reading into your daily schedule. When you’ve just spent 2 hours catching up on course readings, picking up a novel and reading some more just doesn’t sound very appealing.
However, here are 4 health benefits of reading that just might make you want to cozy up with a good book on Friday night (instead of binge-watching Netflix till 1 in the morning)
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1) Reading can reduce stress.
Research has shown that reading is actually more effective at lowering stress than other stress-relieving activities (i.e. listening to music). According to research from the University of Sussex, reading for just six minutes can slow heart rates and soothes muscle tension. I know that when I’m reading a good book, it’s easy to get lost in the pages and forget about my current worries (at least temporarily). To reduce stress by reading, it’s best to read things that you actually ENJOY reading—whether it’s a gripping Jodi Picoult novel or a fun comic book, there is bound to be a book out there that piques your interest.
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2) Reading can make you more empathetic.
While this might not technically be a “health benefit”, empathy is an important trait. Reading fiction exposes you to different worlds, different situations, and different people. You can read about new situations from new perspectives, and gain insight and understanding on new issues. There is actually research that supports this statement: a study done here at the University of Toronto discovered that people who read more fiction books got higher marks on empathy tests, i.e. the ability to understand a person’s emotions through eye contact. You know the saying “put yourself in their shoes”? Reading fiction allows you to do just that.
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3) Reading can slow cognitive decline.
Research suggests that activities like reading, which stimulate your brain, can play a role in maintaining memory and keeping your brain young— and it might even delay Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia in old age. Reading is like a workout for your mind— just like we need to exercise our body to keep ourselves strong and healthy, we also need to exercise our minds.
Luckily, as students, we are doing this every day! However, it’s important for us to get into the habit of maintaining this, even after we graduate from university. It’s never too early to make reading for a pleasure a part of your regular routine—your brain will thank you for doing it.
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4) Reading can improve your memory.
When you read, you have to remember a lot of new information. For example, if you are just starting to read a science fiction or fantasy novel, you are being introduced to things such as new characters, a new world and setting, new and unique terms, etc. Because of this, as you read more novels, it’s likely that your memory will improve over time. Reading is a fun way of “training” your brain and keep your memory sharp —remember, people often say that in old age, your memory is the first thing to go!
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Struggling to find time to read? Here are a couple tips that might help you read more.
- Before going to sleep at night, try to spend 15 minutes reading a novel instead of scrolling through your social media—not only will you squeeze in some reading time, but you’ll probably sleep better too!
- If you commute to school, use your commute time to read a chapter or two of a novel. I know a lot of students use their commute time to study or do course readings (which is important!), but on days where you have a lighter workload, try to read something not school-related during this time.
- Bring a book with you to doctor’s appointments (or other places where you know you’ll have some time to kill in the waiting room).
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Thumbnail photo: http://amandaonwriting.tumblr.com/post/27752845178