Reading is fun!

When was the last time you read a book?

I asked this question a lot and I am not surprised at all.

There’s so many buzz and noise in our daily life a.k.a the internet. People tend to get lost in time scrolling down their social media feed or playing games on their mobile phones.

No surprise, I guess.

Why reading?

You ask…

It is no secret that reading books have countless benefits and it’s a good exercise for the brain.

Books are the superfood for the brain.

So many books, so little time.
Frank Zappa

Disclosure: Some of these are affiliate links. If you choose to buy through my link I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for the support.

Check out these 10 benefits of reading books.

10 Benefits of Reading Books You Need to Know - TypeEighty

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Improved Empathy

Have you ever felt that read a good book makes you better able to connect with other people?

Psychologists David Comer Kidd and Emanuele Castano, at the New School for Social Research in New York, have proved that reading literary fiction enhances the ability to detect and understand other people’s emotions.

Literary fiction, by contrast, focuses more on the psychology of characters and their relationships. This prompts the reader to imagine the characters’ introspective dialogues.

Books we recommend: “The Round House” by Louise Erdrich and “Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Improved Memory

Reading is a mentally stimulating activity that exercises your memory and keeps your brain in shape.

According to Ken Pugh of Haskins Laboratories, reading is more demanding than processing images or speech.

When you read a book, you will try to remember the characters, names, dates, and other tiny details as you read through.

My memory was pretty awful. When I started reading books, I find myself flipping back the pages times and times again trying to recall what I have just read. Over times I find myself flipping back less and I begin to remember more.

As you keep reading actively, you’ll be able to recall massive amounts of information at ease.

Books we recommend: “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn.

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Improved Vocabulary

It goes without saying that reading increases your vocabulary and improves your spelling.

Strong communication skills and the ability to voice your thoughts in an effective way are crucial tools to boost your career professionally.

When you read a wide variety of styles, you’ll learn new words you haven’t heard before and you’ll learn how to use those words effectively and communicate better.

Increased vocabulary is especially important for bloggers or writers. All successful writers will tell you that in order to write well, you need to read.

You’ll be surprised at the words you start incorporating into your writing.

Books we recommend: “Harry Potter” by J. K. Rowling

Improved Writing Skills

Okay, this goes without saying. With improved vocabulary, you will have more ways to express your thought in writing.

Have you ever feel like it’s easier to pick up a new book from the writer you like compared to a writer you never heard of before?

When you read different varieties of books, blogs, you will be exposed to other writers’ writing style. You will find one or two writing styles that you like that will influence your own writing.

Books we recommend: “On Writing” by Stephen King and “Bird Box” by Josh Malerman.

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Improved Analytical Thinking

That’s right. Reading books can improve your analytical thinking.

When you read a mystery novel, do you try to see the plot from the hero’s or villain’s perspective? Or maybe you managed to solve the mystery before the end?

As you read books, you will start to question. This stimulates and expands your brain and allow it to think in different ways.

You are able to analyze details and spot patterns quicker with improved analytical thinking.

Books we recommend: “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” by Mark Sullivan and “IT” by Stephen King.

Reduced Stress

Everyone encounters stressful situations on an almost daily basis and there are times in our lives when we feel overwhelmed with tension.

Reading can help to reduce stress and provide comfort. According to University of Sussex research, reading for just 6 minutes can reduce stress levels by 68 percent. It actually works better and faster than listening to music or going for a walk.

Reading a well-written novel or an engaging article helps your mind to focus on the reading and the distraction of being taken into a literary world will ease the tension in the muscles and the heart and allow you to relax.

Books we recommend: “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… and It’s All Small Stuff” by Richard Carlson and “What I’d Say to the Martians: And Other Veiled Threats” by Jack Handey

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Increased Focus and Concentration

Our life is full of distractions. People chattering down the hall, incoming emails on your computer, receiving calls on your phone. It’s easy to get distracted.

Reading helps you to focus and improve your concentration.

Reading a bad book, you will stop anytime. But reading a good book, will make you lose track of time and your surrounding. Your attention is focused on reading the story.

When you read a book, the only way to finish the book is to continue reading the book. Reading 20 minutes a day will train your brain to stay focused for longer periods of time.

Books we recommend: “The Beggar King” by Oliver Pötzsch, “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins and “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

Increase Creativity

Reading improves your ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoe and think from a different point of views and perspectives.

A recent study conducted by Neuroscientists at Emory University found that becoming engrossed in a novel enhances connectivity in the brain and improves brain function.

Reading a good novel or a fiction allows your imagination to take flight. It allows you to forget about your day-today troubles and transport yourself to a fantasy world where your imagination comes to life.

Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.
Mason Cooley

Books we recommend: “Harry Potter” by J. K. Rowling and “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll.

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Improved Sleep Quality

Reading is a good way de-stressing routine before bed to calm your mind. It’s proven to be a far better way for your mind to relax and for you to unwind and feel ready for sleep than watching a film or flicking through your phone.
By making reading before bed a habit, you can signal to your brain when it’s time to go to sleep.

Books we recommend: “Wives of War” by Soraya M. Lane and “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” by Mark Sullivan.

Becomes a Better Person

Self-help books may really help you help yourself. However, it’s not all about self-help books. By reading any books regularly, you are constantly learning about people and places forcing yourself to jump out of your comfort zone. Being immersed in the lives of the characters in the book strengthen your ability to understand others’ feeling and empathize better with those around you.

After all, knowledge is power.

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.

Dr. Seuss

Books we recommend: “Half of a Yellow Sun” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah.[/vc_column_text]

Final Thought

Reading books provides tons of benefits not limited to the 10 I listed above and with many types of research and studies showed that reading works better than other activities such as watching movies or listening to music.

On top of that, all great leaders read voraciously. Mark Zuckerberg, yea I’m referring to the founder of Facebook if you’re wondering, set a challenge for himself back in 2015 to read a new book every other week.

I am currently reading “The ONE Thing” by Gary Keller which helps me to focus and better prioritize my to-do list. If you want to improve your productivity to the next level, check out the productivity books and find one that suits you most.

There are just so many things you can learn from reading books.

Keep reading, improve yourself and never stop learning.

If you would like to recommend a book, please feel free to let me know in the comments.

Bonus

This infographic, from Raphael Lysander’s blog, The Metamorphosis Journal, explains why reading is so good for us.

Benefits of Readings


Yuyu

I am a front-end developer and I teaches entrepreneurs who want to grow their audience, start an online business, and pursue their dream life. When I spend time away from the computer, I enjoy reading books and having a cup of green tea.

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