Constantly being surrounded by technology can often bury the feelings of picking up a book and immersing yourself in a new world. While some may see this as a waste of time, others find joy in this activity.
Get in on the joy and see below five reasons why you should be reading more books.
You can acquire social skills
Even though reading is often done alone, it can still help you learn social skills. Writers Write – a comprehensive writing resource for creative writers, business writers, and bloggers – explains that reading fiction helps people to know how to connect and interact with others in the real world. According to research by Keith Oatley, PhD, at the University of Toronto, people who read more fiction score higher on both empathy and social ability tests.
It is a source of entertainment
“You can’t forget the ultimate sheer joy of pure enjoyment from reading: the joy of being immersed in a story, attached to a character and made to laugh and cry as the author leads us on a journey inside our own heads,” says top-20 bestselling author Gwyn Bennett, who is known for her crime-mystery books, on her website.
Helps you sleep
Gwyn shares that falling asleep while reading a book does not mean that it is boring. Instead, it can be seen as a relaxing activity that can even help you conjure up some “great dreams.”
It gives you an emotional and intellectual perspective
Writers Write notes that this is the most important reason why you need to read. At times, we may feel overwhelmed by the world and our problems. Reading allows us to escape and see how others deal with their problems, giving us our own emotional and intellectual perspectives.
It is a personal and unique experience
Nobody will read a book and imagine the characters and story the exact same way as you do, notes Gwyn. Like a fingerprint, your experience reading a book is unique, and becomes quite personal too.
Also see: Signs you are ageing well
