The Importance of Daily Reading

By Kanan Vig

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Diving into a good book opens up a whole world of knowledge starting from a very young age. Exposure to vocabulary through reading (particularly reading children’s books) not only leads to higher scores on reading tests but also higher scores on general tests of intelligence for children. Plus, strong early reading skills may mean higher intelligence later in life.

Not only does regular reading help make you smarter, but it also has the ability to increase your brainpower. Just like going for a jog exercises your cardiovascular system, reading regularly improves memory function by giving your brain a good workout. With age comes a decline in memory and brain function, but regular reading may help slow the process, keeping minds sharper longer.

Reading can make you more empathetic. Getting lost in a good read can make it easier for you to relate to others. Literary fiction, specifically, has the power to help its readers understand what others are thinking by reading other people’s emotions, according to research published in Science. The impact is much more significant on those who read literary fiction as opposed to those who read nonfiction. 

It is rightly said that “Understanding others’ mental state is a crucial skill that enables the complex social relationships that characterise human societies.”

Reading promotes wellness. It is said that while an apple a day can keep the doctor away, a book a week can keep the Grim Reaper at bay. Reading has the unexpected bonus of increasing your lifespan.

It was found that reading for at least 30 minutes a day extended the lifespan of participants by an average of two years, with book readers who read more than three hours every week at an advantage over their peers who read magazines and newspapers. In the case of mild to severe depression, reading self-help books or being read to can assist in recovery.

Flipping pages can help you understand what you’re reading. When it comes to remembering what you’re reading, you’re better off going with a book than you are with an e-book. The feel of paper pages under your fingertips provides your brain with some context, which can lead to a deeper understanding and better comprehension of the subject you’re reading about. To reap the benefits of a good read, opt for the kind with physical pages.

Reading also helps you relax. There’s a reason snuggling up with a good book after a long day sounds so appealing. Research suggests that reading can work as a serious stress-buster. Many researchers showed that reading may reduce stress by as much as 68 percent. 

“It really doesn’t matter what book you read, by losing yourself in a thoroughly engrossing book you can escape from the worries and stresses of the everyday world and spend a while exploring the domain of the author’s imagination.”

Reading before bed can help you sleep better. A real book helps you relax more than zoning out in front of a screen before bed. Screens like e-readers and tablets can actually keep you awake longer and even hurt your sleep. That applies to kids too: Fifty-four percent of children sleep near a small screen, and clock 20 fewer minutes of shut-eye on average because of it, according to research.

So reach for the literal page-turners before switching off the light. Reading is contagious. Seventy-five percent of parents wish their children would read more for fun, and those who want to encourage their children to become bookworms can start by reading out loud at home. While most parents stop reading out loud after their children learn to do it on their own, a report from 

Scholastic suggests that reading out loud to kids throughout their elementary school years may inspire them to become frequent readers—meaning kids who read five to seven days per week for fun. More than 40 percent of frequent readers ages six through 11 were read out loud at home, but only 13 percent of those who did not read often for fun were. Storytime offers a good way to spark an interest in the hobby.

Last but not least reading also decreases loneliness and social isolation. For most, the act of reading is a solitary act but this doesn’t have to be the case. Reading can be turned into a social event by finding a like-minded group of friends or members of your community and joining a book group. 

The benefits of book groups are transforming an isolated practice into a social ritual and being able to discover a group of individuals who share the same passions. Reading and discussing books have the effect of getting a deeper understanding of the story through listening and debating different points of view.