Why read? Six reasons why you should keep reading

Reading has been an essential part of our lives for thousands of years. There are various reasons why people read. Whether it is a restaurant menu, a newspaper article, a prayer booklet or the whole Epic of Gilgamesh, you can be sure that someone will enjoy reading it.

 

1. It stimulates your mind
Studies from the online issue of the journal Neurology found that reading or doing other mental activities can slow the progress of or prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

According to the news portal Science Daily, the rate of mental decline of those with infrequent mental activity was quicker by 48%.

2. It help improves your focus and concentration
Unlike the experience of reading articles online wherein you can get distracted by ads or the temptation to check other websites in just a click, reading a book can help you improve your concentration because you are focused on a single item, thus helping you absorb what you read.

3. It can help you de-stress
Research conducted in 2009 by Mindlab International at the University of Sussex showed that reading is the most effective way to overcome stress. The participants of the study started to feel relaxed once they started reading.

4. It makes you more empathic
Reading fiction makes people more empathic, according to different studies made in January 2013. Being emotionally moved or touched by a story results in a boost in empathy as seen in experimental studies done during a course of one week for readers of Arthur Conan Doyle or Jose Saramago.

5. It improves your imagination and your vocabulary
Vocabulary is widened when you research on unfamiliar words you encounter in articles or stories you read. One’s imagination is also enhanced when reading because the mind tends to picture what is being read to achieve better understanding.

6. It can help fight depression
Studies from the University of Manchester published in 2013 state that people with severe depression can benefit from “low-intensity interventions” like reading self-help books

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Text courtesy of the Manila International Book Fair. Yahoo Philippines is a proud media partner.

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