I have always loved reading books from a young age. I was also an avid book collector before booktok or bookstagram was a thing. If you are anything like me and used to read when you were younger but have stopped reading now. I want to encourage you to start reading again by showing you its important.
Why is Reading Important?
Reading is important for several reasons such as increasing quality of sleep, improving stress, and helping with our mental health. A lot of people overlook the benefits of reading especially when they get older. There is also this notion that reading is for a certain type of ‘person’, which is certainly not true. Reading is for everyone; we all need to read.
1. Reading improves your ability to concentrate and focus
From several open tabs on phones, to fast paced videos. One thing that I can say about the times we are in, is that our ability to concentrate and focus has been heavily impacted on. Many scientists believe that when we watch short and fast paced videos on a regular basis it can make it harder to concentrate. Is this something that you can relate with? Well I know that spending inconspicuous amounts of time on social media has not helped with my concentration. I get very distracted when I’m online, hence the many open tabs on my phone and laptop. Oh, how can I forget the many screenshots of things that I say I will get too, but never do.
One way that you can improve your concentration and focus is by reading more books and making a habit of it. Reading a good book (fiction or non-fiction) can absorb your focus and makes it harder to attempt to multitask. Every time I am reading a good ole romantic fiction novel it is hard to separate me from my book. Many have tried and failed. I have also tried and failed at multitasking when reading a book. I admire all those people who walk and read.
2. Reading improves your knowledge
Reading is one of the main ways to acquire knowledge. By reading a wide range of books this will help you to be exposed to general knowledge. I have many interests when it comes to my reading. It has helped to improve my knowledge on different topics. If you want to know more, read more. But make sure to vary your reading, that is the most vital thing that you can do. Most people often limit themselves, but whatever you choose to read- just make sure to widen your reading scope.
3. Reading improves your imagination
Reading a good book can move you into another time and world. The best thing about reading is the way it allows us to transcend into different time periods. One of my favourite novels is The Great Gatsby by Scot F Fitzgerald. Every time I read this book so many great feelings are sparked within me. I am able to visualise what I think the roaring 20s would have looked like and their ideals. Reading helps you to open your mind to new ideas and possibilities and makes us more creative.
4. Reading boosts sleep quality.
A study by Finucane et al (2021) found that reading a book in bed before sleeping, improved quality of sleep. I know that many of us can relate to this point. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen asleep while reading a book. Before bed, some of us opt for the good ole scroll through my social media. But I’ve found that in this case, you end up spending hours on Tik Tok and end up losing hours of sleep. So reading is definitely a better and healthier alternative.
5. Reading exercises the Brain
There are several studies that show that reading helps in improving memory. The more we read books, the easier it becomes to recall certain things. The reason that this happens is because reading exercises the brain. So, get exercising by reading more.
O’L Final thoughts
Reading is important. It is a good habit that we all need to adopt in our lives. There are so many genres out there. You don’t need to be a non-fiction reader only. In fact, my advice is for you to widen your reading scope. Don’t be limited to read just one genre- dig into different kinds of stories. The more you read, the more benefits you will reap. I hope you enjoy this reading journey, let the stories take you to different times and worlds. Let the stories inspire you to be better.
Happy reading everyone…
