10 Benefits of Reading Books Every Day for Life

aroundknowledge.co.id – The benefits of reading books are many. But let's face it. It can be hard to motivate yourself to read a 382-page book when you can watch movies, listen to audiobooks, or watch YouTube video summaries.

Am I right? But if most of your daily reading consists of social media posts, text messages, and news headlines, you're missing out. Then what are the benefits of reading books? If you are interested in reading more books but need motivation, this article is for you.

After all, understanding the importance of reading books makes you more likely to read them.

What are the Benefits of Reading Books?

Here are 10 benefits of reading books that show the importance of reading. While reading a book every day:

1. Gain Valuable Knowledge
2. Train your brain
3. Improve concentration
4. Improve memory
5. Enjoy entertainment
6. Increase empathy
7. Improve communication skills
8. Reduce stress
9. Improve mental health
10. Live longer

Now let's dive deeper to better understand the benefits of reading.

1. Gain Valuable Knowledge

One of the most obvious benefits of reading every day is studying. Unlike YouTube videos or podcasts, books provide access to in-depth knowledge. That said, if you wanted to be more productive, what do you think you could learn more about?

A book written by someone who has studied productivity for 20 years,
Or is it a 10 minute YouTube video made by someone interested in the topic?

Which do you think you will absorb more? Which do you think will help you change your habits more? Books, of course!

Going beyond the surface of the subject is also important for success. This is probably why author Roald Dahl once said, "You have to read a lot to do anything in life."

Plus, you can literally learn anything from a book. For example, whenever someone asks SpaceX founder Elon Musk how to build a rocket, he says, "I read."

So what do you want to learn? Do you want to learn how to code, paint or start a successful business? Do you want to learn how to stop procrastinating? Or do you want to know how to change your life completely? Whatever it is, reading can help.

2. Train Your Brain

Why is reading important? As the 17th century English writer Joseph Addison put it, “What sport does on the body is what reading does on the mind.” So how does reading affect brain?

Research shows that reading stimulates a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. And as reading skills improve, these networks become more powerful and sophisticated.

In another study, researchers measured how reading novels affects our brains. Study participants read Robert Harris' novel Pompeii, and as the tension in the story increased, more areas of the brain were activated. Want to know the best part?

Scans show increased brain connectivity during reading and for several days afterward, demonstrating the tremendous benefits of daily reading.

In short, our brain, like a muscle, has a “use it or lose it” policy. In other words, if you don't exercise your mind regularly, your cognitive abilities will diminish. However, reading every day can keep children strong and healthy.

3. Increase Concentration

Being able to stay focused and focused for a long period of time is very important for our success and well-being. Cal Newport, author of Deep Work, writes:

“To maintain our economic value, you need to master the art of learning complex things fast. This requires hard work.”

What is "Inner Work"? Newport explains:

“Deep work is the ability to focus on cognitively demanding tasks without being distracted. This is a skill that allows you to master complex information quickly and produce better results in less time. Making things better and a true sense of accomplishment comes from craftsmanship. ”

Newport also claims that these skills are becoming increasingly scarce due to the constant multitasking of apps, notifications, and social media. Even in Microsoft studies, I agree that people usually lose attention after only 8 seconds.

Luckily, one of the main benefits of reading is that it allows you to practice focusing on one thing at a time. A novel, for example, requires your undivided attention to transport you to another world. And if you want to learn from nonfiction, you have to be fully present and engaged.

In short, you have to focus to be successful. And if you want to focus more, you can practice by reading books.

4. Improve Memory

Do you always forget things? Do you have a lot of to-do lists but can't remember them? Do not be afraid. One of the benefits of reading is that it can improve memory.

When you read non-fiction, you also consume a tremendous amount of information about the subject you are reading. Similarly, whenever you read a novel, you have to remember a lot of information about the story's plot and subplots, the characters and their relationships, and the environment in which the story takes place.

That's a lot of information! All this new information creates new memories. And each new memory creates synapses or reinforces old ones.

The conclusion? Reading every day improves your memory. This helps you learn how to retain new information and retain memories more effectively.

5. Enjoy Entertainment

Books provide some of the most exciting entertainment on the planet. As author Stephen King said, “Books are uniquely portable wonders.” Have you ever read a book you couldn't put down?

Remember the feeling of being so immersed in a story or lesson that you have to go to the bathroom or keep reading even though you're hungry? To relive that feeling or experience it for the first time, you just need to find the right book to read.

There are millions of amazing books out there, and from fantasy novels and classic literature to self-help guides and business books, there's a perfect reading genre for everyone.

And with the world still grappling with the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn, there's never been a better time to take up reading as a hobby.

Reading is something you can safely enjoy at home. And the books are not very expensive. This is especially true with your local library and services like Amazon's Kindle Unlimited ($9.99 per month for unlimited e-books).

So every day step away from your smartphone, open a book page and immerse yourself.

6. Increase Empathy

Another benefit of reading books is that they can increase your ability to empathize with others. And empathy has many benefits. It can reduce stress, improve relationships, and inform your moral compass.

How? Studies have shown that people who read long-term fiction tend to develop better "theory of mind." This is a term used to describe empathy and the ability to understand others.

Another study found that reading stories that explored characters' inner worlds and emotions increased their ability to understand the feelings and perspectives of others.

For example, experiencing the world through the eyes of Harry Potter or Jane Eyre can teach you to see the world from the perspectives of your family, friends and colleagues. Author John Green said, “A good book helps you understand and makes you feel understood.”

7. Improve Communication Skills

The ability to communicate effectively is an important life skill. In fact, one study found that 69% of employers would want to hire someone with "soft" skills like effective communication.

I'm well? One of the main benefits of reading is that it helps you communicate better. How? Reading every day can improve your communication skills in a number of ways. For example, reading can influence writing and increase vocabulary.

When we read a well-written piece, we naturally notice its style, rhyme, and composition. Just as musicians influence one another, these qualities inevitably permeate our writing.

What's more, research shows that people who read regularly tend to develop a large vocabulary.

Finally, don't forget that reading also helps improve your communication skills by increasing your ability to empathize and understand other people. In short? Read more, communicate better, and improve your life!

8. Reducing Stress

Another benefit of reading is that it can reduce stress. Research has proven that just 30 minutes of reading can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and psychological stress.

Another study found that compared to a walk, a cup of tea or coffee, or a video game, reading is the best way to reduce stress. The study found that just six minutes of reading was enough to reduce stress levels by more than two-thirds.

Cognitive neuropsychologist Dr. David Lewis, who conducted the research, said, “Immersing yourself in a book is ultimate relaxation.” So the next time you're feeling stressed, remember the benefits of reading for pleasure and let the suspense melt.

9. Improving Mental Health

The benefits of reading also extend to your mental health. Researchers have studied the effectiveness of self-help books and found that many of them have a measurable effect on depression and other mood disorders.

As a result, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) launched a book prescription program called Reading Well. This service organizes self-help books curated by medical professionals for specific conditions.

The act of using books as therapy is called 'standing therapy'. So if you're struggling (regardless of what life on Instagram is like, we all struggle from time to time to time), read one of the books on the NHS curated list that have been shown to help relieve symptoms You.

10. Live Longer

The final effect of reading is perhaps one of the most exciting and exciting. It turns out that the health benefits of reading can help us live longer.

A 12-year study of health and retirement found that people who read books survive about two years longer than people who don't read books or read magazines and other forms of media other.

Additionally, those who read 30 minutes a day (3.5 hours per week) were 23% more likely to live longer than those who read less. Pretty cool, right?

As mentioned above, reading is a great way to train our brains to make us smarter and sharper. But the aftereffect is that reading also helps prevent age-related cognitive decline.

One study found that it was older adults who regularly read or played games who are mentally challenging like chess are 2.5 times less likely to develop the disease Alzheimer's.

On the other hand, people who don't train gray matter tend to lose brain power, said the study's lead author, Dr. said Robert Freidland.

It's no surprise then that the US National Institute on Aging recommends the health benefits of daily reading to its proponents.

All in all, if you read a book every day, you will likely maintain your mental capacity and live longer!