Why you need to pick up a book again According to Pew Research Center findings from 2018, 24 percent of the population had not read a book in the past year. And for those that do read, the American Times Use Survey – conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics – found that Americans over the age of 15 spend only about sixteen minutes a day reading for personal development. However, one silver lining of the pandemic may be that we are reading more. In fact, in the past year, 35 percent of the population have been reading more than they had in previous years.
You may say, books are not the only sources of written text or, more broadly, information in our lives. We tend to spend two hours and twenty four minutes per day on social media. Interestingly, reading versus using social media have very different outcomes when it comes to our mental health. While many believe their mood will improve after checking their social media, many report that it actually worsens following a social media scroll. Yet, when people engage in reading – whether it is for self-help or for fun – reading has been shown to reduce stress. In fact, just six minutes of reading a day can reduce stress levels.
Here are just a few ways that reading can benefit you.
Reading is a form of mindfulness. Because we are often multitasking (which puts a heavy cognitive load on our brains), we often experience greater brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and irritability. When you settle down into a book, you are brought into the here and now, where you can focus presently on the story. The key is to stick with it. Especially if you are not used to reading, it can feel really uncomfortable to lean in. However, tell yourself that you are going to read at least ten pages to start. Chances are, you will want to keep going by the time you hit page 10.
Reading can improve your emotional intelligence. Citing Christensen’s article from CNN Health, she includes a quote from Keith Oatley, a cognitive psychology professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, and an award-winning novelist. He stated, “Those who read fiction may understand people better than others. A work of fiction is a piece of consciousness that can pass from one mind to another, and that reader can make it their own.”
Thus, when we take the time to really listen to another perspective, we can build our empathy in a profound way. In fact, fiction may be even more potent at some point, as it really goes into deep character development, and we gain a better understanding of the “why” behind a character’s motives.
Reading has all kinds of cognitive benefits. Not only has reading been shown to improve sleep, but readers are also shown to have improved concentration and demonstrate greater memory retention. So, if you have been feeling cloudy, reading may be the perfect thing to sharpen your ability to recall.
Even better is if you take a highlighter or pen to the lines that stand out to you. Write in the margins and include follow-up questions for yourself to build off of the text. Add your ideas that arise when you are reading. This will help you deepen your critical thinking skills.
And one of the best parts about reading a good book? You can always pass it along to someone who will enjoy it next. Surprise them with a package in the mail or drop it off on their doorstep. I frequently do this on my social media account, where I offer to ship the books I have read to my community. I find that people love it! This is a great way to ensure that your books are bringing joy to others, rather than just gathering dust. |