10 Benefits of Reading: Why You Should Read Every Day

In this article, we’ll cover incredible benefits of reading backed by scientific studies.

1. Promotes mental health

Research suggests that people who keep their brains active by reading or playing mentally challenging games like chess are 2.5 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who spend their down time on less stimulating activities.

Studies have shown that staying mentally alert can slow the progress of (or possibly even prevent) Alzheimer’s and dementia. Go through our article about mental heath to understand it thoroughly.

2. Reduce Stress

Snuggling up with a good book can transport you to the magic of other worlds away from immediate worries, reducing stress.

A 2009 study by the University of Sussex found that reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 68%.

Dr Lewis, Cognitive Neuropsychologist told the Telegraph: “Losing yourself in a book is the ultimate relaxation. This is particularly poignant in uncertain economic times when we are all craving a certain amount of escapism.”

A well-written, substantial article can have the same effect.

3. Improves general knowledge

If you want to be a well-rounded human being capable of holding a conversation on a variety of topics, you need to be a reader. And your reading material needn’t be any serious subject matter for you to pick up some tidbits of information that can come in handy someday.

I have never met a well-read person who is not also an interesting person. But I’ve come across quite a number of boring people who clearly never open a book.

Besides, the more knowledge you have, the better equipped you are to handle many of life’s challenges. Which brings me to the next point.

4. More empathetic

Reading about the life and times of people who live or lived in different circumstances from you, can make it easier for you to understand and relate to those who are different from you. A book on gay relationships can be a real eye-opener if you are straight; a book on the life of an African living in Paris can be equally revealing.

Books are there to open the world up for us; to take us out of our own environment and show us the realities of others out there. Some books have the power to change your mind and outlook completely.

5. Expands vocabulary

The more you read, the more your vocabulary improves. The more your vocabulary improves, the better you can express your own thoughts and feelings. Language is such a wonderful tool with so many fantastic words for us to use to express ourselves.

People who are able to use language skillfully with a wide range of descriptive vocabulary have always captured the imagination and admiration of others.

It is a fact that the ability to be articulate impresses others and paves the way to promotions, leadership roles, and public office.

Researchers from Spain’s University of Santiago de Compostela found that a rich vocabulary delays mental decline. The broader your vocabulary, the better your chance of mental health well into old age.

6. Improves writing skills

This goes hand-in-hand with improved vocabulary. People who read a lot, especially well-written material, absorb different writing styles and are able to emulate a good writing style because they are subconsciously influenced by it.

The more you read and the better quality writing you read, the more it will improve your own writing ability.

(Coursera has a number of academic courses for better writing. Check out my Coursera review for 2020 here).

7. Stronger analytical thinking skills

A typical “whodunit” which many readers find so enthralling poses a mystery that is a challenge for readers to solve, which helps develop their analytical skills. It is thrilling to read a mystery and try to solve the mystery yourself. Even if you don’t solve it, you still practised your critical and analytical thinking in the most pleasurable way.

8. Improves memory

In order to follow a plot you have to remember quite a lot and that is good practice for your brain. You have to remember a range of characters, their backgrounds, actions, roles in the plot, as well as the various sub-plots that make up the story. After all, you won’t comprehend what you’re reading if you don’t remember certain details as you read. So reading, keeps the brain’s memorizing ability in practice.

9. Improves focus and concentration

Reading a substantial piece of writing strengthens your focus because it requires focus to read. Unless you focus, you won’t follow what you’re reading.

In fact, reading is an antidote to today’s obsession with multi-tasking – writing an email while chatting online, keeping an eye on your phone, drinking coffee and checking reactions on your Twitter feed. This habit scatters attention and hampers productivity – actually, you get very little done.

Reading requires focus, something that often is sorely lacking in our society. Making time to read 15-20 minutes every day can improve your ability to focus and ultimately help you to be more productive.

10. Reading is a workout for your brain

There’s a difference between passively watching television and actively reading.

When you’re reading, you’re training your mind to focus on new information and take it in. As mentioned earlier, this improves analytical skills and memory.

It means that reading becomes a workout for your brain.

According to Ken Pugh, president of Haskins Laboratories:

Parts of the brain that have evolved for other functions — such as vision, language, and associative learning — connect in a specific neural circuit for reading, which is very challenging.

In short, reading spurs your brain to think and concentrate.