Why do we read? Why do we read more? What are the advantages of reading, and what benefits does reading have for us? Here are some answers in this article.
Unlike other forms of entertainment, reading has many advantages.
When I read, I always feel a certain sense of well-being that sometimes continues for hours after a long reading session. So I looked into why and came across a lot of information on the subject that I wanted to share with you.
The first is well known: it's an affordable pastime. Books are inexpensive and easy to borrow from friends and family, or from the library. You can even read for free (download ebooks).
With an average price of around $10, a book that will take 6 to 10 hours to read also offers a good entertainment/price ratio.
But it's not the economic aspect of the thing that's interesting, but the effects of reading on our bodies and, more broadly, on our lives:
- reading allows you to deepen your knowledge
- reading makes you more open-minded
- reading helps us better understand the world around us
- reading allows you to share and exchange with other readers
- reading helps you understand yourself better
- reading gives pleasure
- reading helps you succeed in your professional life
- reading helps you live longer (reading 30 minutes a day can add 2 years to your life)
- reading reduces stress
- reading lowers your heart rate
- reading helps you earn more money (or more precisely: people who read a lot earn more on average than those who read less)
- reading increases memory
- reading reduces the risk of dementia
- reading improves communication
- reading improves concentration
- reading develops analytical skills
- reading increases empathy
Of course, this list is far from exhaustive. More and more studies are being carried out on the subject, and science is discovering new things every day.
I invite you to share my article with your friends and family, as fewer and fewer of us read, so spreading the word can't hurt.
