You're about to curl up with that book you selected from BookBrowse's Editor's Choice, and you have tea brewing in the kitchen. It's time to dive right into another world.
Did you know that when you reemerge, you come back healthier, more empathic, and sharper? Reading also helps you live longer too. A study has shown that those who read for more than 3.5 hours per week are 23% less likely to die than those who do not read books.
It is important to stress that for this survival advantage to occur, you must be undergoing "deep reading". Magazines and newspapers, for instance, involve leisurely skimming or light reading. When you immerse yourself in a book, this involves an active process of focused, deliberate reading. And it is this type of reading which can confer a longer lifespan. Mentally stimulating activities such as reading can also help prevent cognitive decline such as dementia and Alzheimer's.
Reading bring hours of enjoyment to your life, but did you know that it can also help you make better friends? Reading fiction can help you understand others, and to develop more empathy and theory of mind. These skills help you build better friendships. Having good friends helps to protect you against stress, and you can find more enjoyment in your life. With more friends, you stay healthier and live longer. A study has found that the absence of social connections is as bad as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.
Global English Editing has put together this interesting infographic which shows just how good reading is for you. Check it out!
(graphic is large and make take a few moments to load)
