How Reading Enhances the Mind, Body, and Soul

Did you know that reading can help your brain function better when you get older? There have been clinical studies that show reading can help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s as humans begin to age. Reading is like going to the gym for your brain, and builds up your working memory.

Need to step up your vocabulary? Building regular reading habits will not only increase your brain activity substantially, but it will also help you learn new words. Every book has a different style of writing and can influence your own sentence structure over time. The more you read the more words you expose yourself to thus expanding the extent of your vocabulary. This will also help you when it comes to writing on your own. It’s fun to sound smart right? And it’s as simple as reading a book a few times a week.

If you often find yourself sweating the small stuff, you should give reading a try. Even if you don’t find it difficult to relax, reading can be a great stress reliever. Reading gets your mind off whatever you’re stressing and calms the mind. Because of this, reading before going to sleep can actually help you fall asleep faster. If you opt to read before bed however, keep in mind print books are likely your best option. Ereaders and tablets won’t do much help because the lighting in them will stimulate your brain a bit too much for bed (some people can fall asleep with e-readers but only weirdos) and can actually make it more difficult to dose off.

Reading can help you gain perspective on life by putting yourself in someone else’s mindset. Whether it’s a “self help” publication, or a deep space sci-fi novel, reading forces you to put yourself in a position to understand what the writer intended. This process allows you to think more like the writer of whatever you’re reading and less like you would normally. This is good for understanding others in “The Real World”. Reading helps you gain perspective and helps you understand what others are/can go through.

So reading isn’t your thing (But you’re reading this article? strange…)? That’s okay, it’s never too late to start. We are at a time in life where there are enough books to read until the day you die. There are books on almost any and every topic, for any and every type of person. If money is an issue, go to your local library! If you’re the “homebody” type and don’t feel like leaving the comfort of your couch, hop on the web! There are thousands of online books available for free on numerous sites.

So go read and get smart! After all, intelligence IS sexy!

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