Reading is a great way to benefit both your physical and mental well being. Reading is rewarding in many ways. It gets your imagination working, expands your knowledge, enhances your vocabulary, makes you a better writer, reduces stress levels, makes concentrating easier, and lastly improves your memory. With all these benefits I highly recommend you start reading.
Many people have a hard time focusing while reading or find it boring. Finding a genre that you genuinely enjoy is important. Once you find your genre, get some books and read them – see how it makes you feel. Look into how it affects you both mentally and physically. Is it beneficial for you? Getting your brain working can be beneficial and reading is an easy way to do this.
Reading keeps your brain operating more effectively as you grow. It also decreases the chances of you developing Dementia. It literally strengthens your brain. According to Sufyan Maan the brain’s letterbox is where words on a page are identified as words. Then the information travels to the frontal lobe and other regions of the temporal lobe where you determine the pronunciation and meaning of the words you have read. This process takes less than half a second. This is how reading gets your brain working.
According to “The Well News” in 2020 there was a report which showed how those who read at age 11 in the United Kingdom had a healthier diet and were less likely to use drugs and alcohol at the age of 14. But they were also less likely to engage in physical activities which isn’t a benefit. Drugs and alcohol both weaken your immune system. If there is a way to prevent kids from giving in to that lifestyle it is worth it. This shows how reading affects your physical health.
Audrey Thomas, a student at Oakmont Regional High School states, “I feel like when I read I can go into my own world and just ignore things that go on around me. For me reading improves my vocabulary.” So reading can definitely distract you from the world and let you be within your own space for a little peace. Reading also does improve vocabulary. On those pages you are reading new words pop up that can and will expand your vocabulary.
The “Medium” mentions “In as little as six minutes of being immersed in a book, your heart rate slows, your blood pressure lowers, and your muscles begin to relax.” This shows what happens to you physically that contributes to lower stress rates. A 2009 study at the University of Sussex showed that reading can reduce stress by 68%. That is a drastic decrease. Stress is bad for you mentally and physically and can make your quality of life quite negative.
Reading can help you learn about yourself and the world you live in. It can also be your escape from yourself – the world. Escaping into a book is healthy and more beneficial than other coping mechanisms. Reading can improve your social skills which can be very helpful. Reducing your stress levels, becoming more educated, and having less mental issues can lead to a very content life.
While reading you can enter the flow state or a state of deep reading. When deep reading you are using your cognitive skills and are picking up the information you are reading. Basically you are focusing pretty hard on your book when you are “deep reading.” When you are in the flow state you lose track of time because you are so attached to your book. So a more intense version of deep reading. These are both very helpful to your brain and help you pick up new information.
According to “The Well News” a survey in the United Kingdom showed that readers had lower levels of stress and depression than people who didn’t read. They also had good self esteem and good ways to cope when put in tough situations. This shows how reading affects your mental health. For kids in school the work, the kids, the teachers – it can all become too much and cause large amounts of stress on a child. Having good coping mechanisms is very good especially at the age of 10-14. Some people resort to self-destructing and damaging things when they have no other ways to cope so it’s preferable to have positive mechanisms during hard times.
If it can improve as much as it does in the mental and physical space reading is an easy way to fully improve you as a person. Reading can help you be the best version of yourself. You can feel good about yourself, have self advocacy, and have motivation to treat yourself well.
According to “Nuvance Health” reading regularly can lower your blood pressure and improve sleep quality. With high blood pressure comes heart problems which can be harmful to your life and health. If you can lower it by reading you should. Sleep can be a big struggle for many people. Some have insomnia and can’t go to sleep. Some people have hypersomnia where they sleep for very long periods of time. These can be scary and take your time away. Reading before bed can calm you and ensure you have good sleep.
Ruby Woodward, a student at Oakmont Regional High School states “Reading has helped me physically by improving my sleep schedule. Reading has helped me mentally by being something I can do when I need moments to myself. It also helps me when I’m stressed.”
I recommend making reading a habit even if it’s difficult. Reading can feel very dragged on and like a chore – I understand. Even if you’re just reading 30 pages a day, that’s still good and gets your brain working. It will be beneficial to you and your health no matter how many pages you read. If you can find a book you like, find more books from that author, find authors similar to that author – make an effort to read, to improve yourself.
Reading is definitely beneficial to both your mental and physical health. Try to find the motivation to start reading more often. Try to improve yourself with what’s available – books. One time Kate DiCamillo said “Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.”
