Let’s face it, we can spend hours and hours scrolling our social media pages, but reading a single page of a book seems extremely tiring. Just check your screen time right now, and you will realize how scrolling and surfing the internet has become your new hobby.
It is a known fact that reading was the primary hobby and activity to spend leisure time when there was no internet.
By and large, the availability of the internet has jeopardized a highly important activity in our lives. No doubt, the internet has given us access to books and other reading resources beyond measure; the over-availability has snatched the anticipation to read different publications from avid readers. Before Gutenberg introduced the printing press when having access to reading material was considered a luxury. The invention of the television was the first time when reading as a habit got challenged. Anyhow, we will discuss why reading is primly important, even in the current time of great technological advancements.
1. Reading is the food to your brain:
Research has justified reading as a good activity to keep your brain healthy. Like any other part of our body, our brain needs the essential diet, and reading is a useful exercise in that regard. Research has confirmed using MRI scans that reading involves various networks and signals in the brain. The practice of reading strengthens the networks with time.
Some other studies also show that reading stimulates the working of the brain, preventing mental problems such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia, etc. In essence, the practice of reading trains the brain to be fit and work in order.
2. It can reduce stress:
Reading is one of the best ways to escape into tranquility amidst being confined in stress. A good novel can seamlessly slip you into its spellbinding plot, keep you engaged, and leave no room for you to think about painful and distressing things in your life. People who are stressed about their work, careers, and relationships open their social media feed and see others sharing their success stories and in all smiles, which amplifies their anxiety. Unarguably, social media is a very superficial platform that exhibits people with beautiful, happy faces and beautiful stories. That, as a result, makes other people judge themselves against people online, question their achievements, and doubt their abilities, which leads to anxiety. Research shows that depression and mental stress have progressively increased ever since people have started engaging more with social media. Therefore, instead of spending hours looking at others’ pictures and stories and becoming stressed eventually, it is better to read a book and keep the stress away.
3. Improves writing skills:
You might have heard your teachers in school telling you that a good writer is always a good reader. They were right. If you want to refine your writing skills, you must read as many authors as you can. Unfortunately, today’s students struggle with writing even a small paragraph. While students may get help in coursework writing or other papers, they should know the basic art of writing. Students pursuing literature, medicine, or historical studies have to read a lot, which is why they have a better command of writing than the craft artists, photographers, musicians, set designers, etc.
4. Gives you knowledge:
The practice of reading and understanding concepts has brought enlightenment to the world. Reading is not just about getting entertained or spending leisure time, but it is essential for gaining knowledge and expanding knowledge about a certain subject matter. For example, reading textbooks and guides to dental nursing and dental instruments will help dental nurses expand their knowledge, and the same goes for all students regardless of field or discipline. Some people also have an interest in expanding their knowledge about a certain topic, and reading helps them the most.
5. Improves memory:
As said earlier, reading trains the brain to work efficiently; it aids the ability of retention as well. While it may seem a lot to remember when reading a book, as the reading ability matures, you can easily remember terms, facts, or whatever details you want to remember.
6. Builds your vocabulary:
Do you get short of words or appropriate words when speaking or writing? It is clichéd that people with strong vocabulary are astute; they at least are eloquent while writing or speaking, if not smart. The more you read, the more quality words you are exposed to, which you can use when speaking or writing.
7. Strengthens analytical thinking abilities:
When you read books, you can critically analyze the key aspects of books such as plot, character sketch, and chronology of story that can improve your analytical thinking abilities. Moreover, mystery books are the best in terms of sharpening the critical thinking abilities of readers.
8. Books can help you sleep:
While you can stay all night binge-watching a favorite show or movie, reading books can easily make you sleepy. You must have experienced that whenever you open a book at night, you get sleepy within a few minutes, except when it is creating suspense, and you can’t take off your eyes from the book.
9. Improves concentration:
Books keep you captivated in their essence that improves your abilities of focus and concentration. It teaches our brain how to focus on something which is of utter importance in our day-to-day activities.
10. It is eye-friendly:
We have devastated our eyesight by looking at screens all the time. Reading from a physical book rather than online is a healthy practice in terms of how it protects our eyes from terrible rays emitting from our computer and mobile screens.
