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What happens when you start reading every day? Reading a book does more than just pass the time. It fuels your creativity, sharpens your focus, and, by reading different perspectives, books can even change the way you think. You must have read 10 more articles before reading this, and all of those articles must have mentioned one small but crisp sentence: “Reading has changed my life to the best forever,” which is certainly true.
But in this digital age, where we are constantly surrounded by technology and social media, we often find ourselves being slaves to technology, and no matter how much we run from it, it follows us even more. According to a study from the Pew Research Center, an average American is reading fewer books than 40 years ago, which signifies an overall 10% decline in people’s reading habits.
This is because, before the invention of the internet, people who wished to learn new things turned to books. There are numerous reasons to read a book including regular maintenance and updates for your brain.
If you are still not convinced that we are being controlled by technology then ask yourself a simple question, when was the last time your screen time was less than 5 hours? or when was the last time you were not mindlessly scrolling? Studies show that the average screen time on internet-connected devices among users in the US is 7 hours and 3 minutes, and has been the same since 2021.
If we can put down our phones for just 20 minutes a day and dedicate that time to reading, the impact on our minds can be incredible. Studies have also shown that developing a regular reading habit not only sharpens your vocabulary but also slows down cognitive decline as we age while boosting emotional intelligence.
With consistent reading, you’ll notice improvements in your IQ, faster reading speed, and a sharper mind overall. A small daily commitment can truly transform your brainpower!
READ MORE: 7 Japanese Techniques To Stop Overthinking
Here’s What Happens When You Start Reading Every Day
Helps in Exercising Your Brain
The first and foremost reason to pick up a book every day is that it provides regular maintenance and updates for your brain. Reading helps your brain process new information and correct misconceptions or limiting beliefs makes us filled with knowledge and improves our IQ over time.
Just as muscles need exercise to stay strong, the brain requires a consistent workout to remain sharp. So reading works as a mental workout, helping to maintain brain power and capacity over time.
According to a 2023 study from the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, reading has been linked to improved thinking skills, especially in children. As psychotherapist Diana Anson puts it, “Reading is to the mind what the gym is to the body.
Manage stress
Reading is a great practice to perform in your everyday stressful life. It is an excellent way to reduce stress because it allows you to escape reality by immersing you in a different and more interesting world. Reading with your child or a loved one is a great practice to strengthen your bond and lower stress levels.
According to a 2009 study from Sussex University, reading can lower stress levels by up to 68%. In just six minutes of reading, your heart rate slows, your blood pressure drops and your muscles begin to relax.
A 2020 study found that parents who read to their children had less stress and a deeper bond with their kids.
Promotes Better Sleep
Reading before bed can significantly make the quality of your sleep better by helping your mind and body relax. It is recommended to read a good article or book to help you reduce tension and ease you into a calm state, making it easier to fall asleep.
It is also recommended to set your gadgets and screens aside which stimulates the brain and can even disrupt your sleep cycle, reading creates a soothing pre-sleep routine that signals your brain to wind down. It is seen that instead of working yourself into being tired, you naturally relax and get sleepy without effort.
Expands Knowledge
Reading books plays a crucial role in expanding knowledge by offering in-depth information and insights that go beyond what can be found in short videos or digital sources. Books, especially those written by experts or scholars, are often based on years of research, experience, and wisdom. This depth of knowledge allows readers to fully understand complex subjects and gain a well-rounded perspective.
Even though short videos are entertaining and engaging, their popularity has resulted in a reduced attention span among viewers. Reading helps us process vast amounts of information that aren’t always able to be distilled into concise ideas or articles, so it is recommended to replace those short videos that are shrinking our attention span with reading.
In contrast to digital content, which does not provide us with deep knowledge, books let you delve deeply into topics, encouraging critical thinking and intellectual development.
Improves Memory
When you read a fiction or a non-fiction book, you engage in activities that stimulate both short-term and long-term memory. As you follow a storyline or track detailed information, you exercise your verbal recall and keep your memory systems active. Both episodic and working memory improve by reading every day.
Episodic memory involves remembering specific events and experiences, on the other hand, working memory is the capacity to hold and manipulate information while performing tasks.
Many studies have shown that reading every day stimulates our brain and even helps slow down mental disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Additionally, your neural activity and productivity also increase by reading every day, this increases overall cognitive function and enhances your ability to recall information.
Better Writing Skills
Writing is an essential skill for everyone, even if you are not writing professionally, still you find yourself writing emails and social media posts and creating presentations, this skill is used almost everywhere.
You might still be wondering what happens when you start reading every day. When you read frequently, you expose yourself to diverse styles, vocabularies, and structures.
This exposure helps you in:
- By learning new words and phrases, reading enhances your ability to express yourself effectively and increase your vocabulary.
- By reading different perspectives of distinct authors you learn to articulate your ideas more clearly and concisely.
- Frequent reading helps you internalize proper grammar and sentence structure, reducing mistakes in your writing.
You Become a More Interesting Person
By reading and analyzing several narratives and ideas reading fuels your creativity and imagination, which can further help you to contribute interesting perspectives in conversations.
As you read you learn to express your ideas and thoughts in a structured manner with greater nuance, which enhances your ability to engage in meaningful discussions.
Additionally, by reading several books and perspectives you will be filled with knowledge, and it will make it easier to find common ground and engage in discussion on various subjects.
Connecting with Others
Books provide a common ground for initiating and deepening relationships. Shared interests in books or genres can serve as a basis for meaningful interactions. Books offer a rich source of discussion topics, through online forums, book clubs, or casual conversations.
Books clubs are a great way to connect with like-minded people who share your passion for reading. These platforms provide opportunities to exchange ideas, gain new insights, and build lasting relationships.
Conclusion:
In a world dominated by screens, social media, and short-form content, adding reading to your daily routine can profoundly impact your life, from enhancing mental agility and reducing stress to improving sleep and expanding knowledge reading is a great way to exercise your brain and also improve your memory by just dedicating 20 minutes a day to this life-changing habit. What happens when you start reading every day will shock you! Start today.
