For the Love of Books

When was the last time you read a book or a magazine? Do you do your reading only around tweets, Facebook updates or how to use manual of a new gadget? If you are one of those who don’t have a habit of regular reading, then you are missing on a lot of things.

Mental Stimulation

Like any other part of your body, brain also requires continuous exercise to keep it strong and healthy, so the phrase “you use it or you lose it” is apt for brain. Research has shown that reading books help in keeping your brain active and engaged, slowing the process of Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

Reduces stress level

No matter how stressed you are, a good novel or a good narration can transport you to a completely different space away from your daily stress, letting tensions drain away and allowing you to relax. Stress alters the hormonal levels of the body affecting the normal physiology of the body. It is always advised to read at least 2 pages of a good book before going to sleep.

Memory Improvement

When you read a book, you have to remember an assortment of characters, their backgrounds, ambitions, history, and nuances, as well as the various arcs and sub-plots that weave their way through every story. That’s a fair bit to remember, but brain are marvelous things and can remember these things with relative ease. Amazingly enough, every new memory you create forges new synapses (brain pathways) and strengthens existing ones, which assists in short-term memory recall as well as stabilizing moods.

Improved Focus and Concentration

In our internet-crazed world, attention is drawn in a million different directions on an everyday basis. In a single 5-minute span, the average person will divide their time between working on a task, checking email, chatting with a couple of people, keeping an eye on twitter, monitoring their smartphone, and interacting with co-workers. Such a routine increases stress level, and lowers our productivity. When you read a book, all of your attention is focused on the story—the rest of the world just falls away, and you can immerse yourself in every fine detail you’re absorbing. Try reading for 15-20 minutes before starting your day and you’ll be surprised at how much more focused you are once you get to the office.

Helps in staying calm

In addition to the relaxation that accompanies reading a good book, it’s possible that the subject you read about can bring about immense inner peace and calmness. Reading spiritual texts can lower blood pressure and bring about an immense sense of calm, while reading self-help books has been shown to help people suffering from certain mood disorders and mild mental illnesses.

There’s a reading genre for every literate person on the planet, and whether your tastes lie in classical literature, poetry, fashion magazines, biographies, religious texts, self-help guides, street lit, or romance novels, there’s something out there to capture your curiosity and imagination. Step away from your computer for a little while, crack open a book, and replenish your soul for a little while.