Reading can often be perceived as an isolated activity that doesn’t spark much excitement; many may doubt whether reading can bring any emotional benefits.
Recent research has demonstrated that reading can be an effective means of improving mental health and overall wellbeing.
Reading can be enjoyable and many take it up as a hobby, yet we should remember the cognitive importance of reading too – increasing knowledge, deepening understanding, becoming more aware of one’s surroundings, and improving communication are just some of its many advantages.
Reading not only improves cognitive health; it can also contribute to social and emotional well-being.
This article will outline the emotional benefits of reading.
Here Are Seven Emotional Benefits of Reading
As a passionate reader, here are seven emotional advantages of reading that you’ll experience as you immerse yourself in books.
1. Broaden Your Perspective
An important characteristic of mental wellness is understanding, and reading broadens your viewpoint and makes you more tolerant and understanding towards people from various tribes, races or cultures.
Researchers from The New School in New York City have provided evidence that literary fiction “can help readers to better comprehend what other people are thinking and feeling”.
One study demonstrated the correlation between reading fiction and performing well on social and empathy acumen tests.
2. Reduces Stress
Reading can help relieve the tension that threatens emotional well-being, according to a 2009 University of Sussex study, reading can reduce stress by as much as 68%!
In 2009, some researchers measured the effects of humor, yoga and reading on students enrolled in health science programs across the United States. Their study revealed that 30 minutes of reading significantly reduced psychological distress as did humor and yoga.
Reading comic humor is an effective way to lighten up your day and reduce stress levels.
3. Reading Can Offer Healthy Escapism
A great way to escape reality or get your mind off this world is reading. Reading gives you a way to create your own reality, immersing you in events in which you take part more so than watching TV shows or movies can.
4. Increase Your Empathy
According to research, reading literary fiction stories is proven to enhance empathy by giving you access to characters’ inner lives – helping you better comprehend beliefs and emotions of others.
Empathy is an indication of emotional wellbeing, and as an avid literary fiction reader you develop a good theory of mind allowing you to adapt and connect with people from diverse cultures and situations, making you a more understanding individual overall.
5. Improves Night Rest
The Mayo Clinic doctor strongly encourages reading as an effective sleep routine. In order to achieve restful slumber, a print book rather than digital book is preferred because digital devices emit light that could keep you awake through their display screens.
Try reading a book before bed, and witness its power.
6. Alleviate Depression Symptoms
People living with depression often feel alienated from society. Reading fiction provides them an outlet to temporarily escape this reality and can temporarily relieve depression symptoms.
depressed individuals can learn strategies to manage symptoms by reading fiction self-help books. That is why the United Kingdom’s National Health Service launched Reading Well: Books on Prescription program where medical experts prescribe self-help books as therapy to people who meet certain criteria.
7. Reading Books Prolongs Life
A 12-year study on 3,635 adults concluded that those who read books lived about two years longer compared to those who didn’t consume any form of media such as books, magazines or any other forms.
Conclusion
Develop the habit of reading today in order to unlock its numerous emotional advantages, as outlined above. Adopting it may initially seem tiresome; but with persistence it will surely reap dividends!