Benefits of Reading Every Single Day

It only takes one quick Google search to discover all the ways reading benefits our bodies and brains. From our memories to social skills to even survival rates, the list of potential benefits seems endless. Over the last decade, libraries have expanded to offer way more than just books -- and that's wonderful! -- but let's take a minute to get back to basics and remember why libraries began in the first place. As Oprah Winfrey once said, "If you're going to binge, literature is definitely the way to do it."

Reading Reduces Stress

If you are a fan of suspense and thriller genres, you many not agree with this claim, but a study published on NessLabs.com (2022) showed that even as little as six minutes of reading can reduce a person's stress levels by up to 68 percent. Reading relaxes muscle tension and slows our heart rate (even for the suspense lovers among us!). So, the next time you find yourself falling down that social media rabbit hole, close the app, open the book and feel the physical benefits of stimulating your mind.

Reading Sharpens Our Mental Capabilities

NessLabs also concluded that reading increases our attention span, thus improving our ability to concentrate and keep our brains engaged and active. This has been shown to decrease our risk for diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's, not to mention our improved vocabulary, comprehension, writing and critical thinking skills.

Reading Makes Us More Empathetic

When we read, especially fiction books, our ability to put ourselves in other people's shoes increases. We are better able to empathize with others, leading to stronger social connections. In fact, psychologists at Princeton University studied brain scans of people while they read fiction books and found increased activity in the parts of the brain that help us understand what other people are thinking.

Reading May Increase Our Survival Rate

In a 2016 study published by the National Library of Medicine, research found that reading books created a survival advantage by engaging our brains in two cognitive function categories: critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence. Scientists have linked these functions to longer life spans in numerous studies. In fact, the Journal of Social Science and Medicine concluded reading can increase your life by up to 20 percent! So, it's going to be a long life... better stock up on those books! Happy Reading!