It doesn’t matter how you read – the real thing with a paper book or on a Kindle or e-reader, because reading is not only fun, it’s also good for you. Why? Here’s five reasons why reading is good for your health.1. De-stressing

1. De-stressing

As the last year has taught us – even if we didn’t know before – life can be stressful. Research by the University of Sussex showed that even six minutes of reading can lower your stress levels by more than two-thirds, slowing heart rates and relaxing muscles. In fact, they discovered it was more efficient at reducing stress than listening to music or going for a walk. The reason could be because you have to concentrate and are distracted from your life by the story.

2. Expanding your world

Books can give you insight into somebody else’s life. You can see the world through another person’s eyes – more than you realise. Researchers at Emory University in America gave students books to read and then looked at their brain functions with an MRI scan.

Neuroscientist Gregory Berns led the study,

“The neural changes that we found associated with physical sensation and movement systems suggest that reading a novel can transport you into the body of the protagonist,” Berns says. “We already knew that good stories can put you in someone else’s shoes in a figurative sense. Now we’re seeing that something may also be happening biologically.”

So you see books really do transport you to another world and help you see it through someone else’s eyes.

3. Improving memory and concentration and keeping Alzheimer’s away

A study by the Rush University Medical Centre found that reading helps to protect your brain from the onset of Alzheimer’s. It’s well known that mental challenges preserve brain health and reading is no exception. It aids concentration too.

4. Better writing skills

OK a lot of communication seems to have been reduced to text messaging and emoji’s, but the art of real communication and writing are still incredibly important. Human beings have been story telling since we first existed, it’s a part of our make-up, essential to our being. It also goes without saying that the more you read the better your vocabulary.

5. It makes you a nicer person

A University of Toronto study, back in 2005, showed that heavy readers scored much better in empathy tests. Quite simply it helps you relate to other people better. So, next time someone moans that you’ve got your head stuck in a book, you can now say that it’s helping you understand them and empathise with them better – and maybe they should try it!

So, now you don’t need any more excuses. You can go and buy yourself a new book to read and know it’s good for your health and your relationships.

Enjoy.

(You can read the full version of this blog post, ‘10 Reasons why you should Read more books‘ on Gwyn GB’s blog)