One of the most common pieces of advice given to aspiring professionals is to read widely and often. After all, when you read widely and widely across a wide range of genres, you’re exposed to new ideas, characters, and ways of thinking that can help you not only become a better writer but also improve your problem-solving skills and overall analytical capabilities. But what does reading do to your mind exactly? And if reading so much can change your brain in any way, how exactly does it do that? Here are some things you should know about how reading books transforms your mind over time.
Reading can have different effects on you and your brain.
Reading can have different effects on you and your brain. It can help you to relax, learn new things, understand other people and the world around you better, think about yourself differently and be more creative.
Reading is a very personal activity. The way it affects each of us will depend on our personalities and experiences. Some people may enjoy reading because they get bored easily; others may prefer it for its ability to teach them about the world around them; still others might enjoy books for their entertainment value or as a form of escapism from their daily lives (though this isn’t always considered a positive thing).
Reading fiction has been found to increase your empathy.
Empathy is the ability to understand and identify with other people’s emotions, thoughts, and experiences. It’s an important skill for every human being to have, but it can be difficult to develop. We may not always be in situations where we’re able to empathize—for example, if you’re walking by a homeless person on the street or watching a news story about international conflict online you might feel like there’s nothing that you can do about what’s happening in the world around you. Or maybe these things are happening right now: maybe someone close to you recently died of cancer or perhaps one of your parents lost their job or got divorced; either way these events may make it hard for us as individuals who are directly involved with them (or even just as bystanders) not only because they cause us pain but also because they make us feel powerless—as though we could never truly understand how others must feel when experiencing such circumstances themselves.
Reading fiction allows us both opportunities: firstly when reading books we get glimpses into other people’s lives which help foster our understanding of what life might be like outside our own experience (and thus help reduce feelings of isolation); secondly because reading requires imagination from readers who then use those skills later on during real-life situations where empathy could prove useful (e.g., trying harder than usual at work so coworkers don’t get fired).
A 2011 study found that people who read a lot may live longer.
Reading may be a form of brain exercise. In fact, a 2011 study found that people who read books live longer than those who don’t read much.
It’s true that the more time you spend reading, the better your vocabulary becomes. But it’s not just about words; words are just one element of language. Reading is also a good way to learn new things and pick up new skills like learning how to speak another language or writing well in English.
People who read a lot tend to be more introverted.
- People who read a lot tend to be more introverted.
- Reading is a solitary activity, and it’s often an escape from the world around us.
- Reading allows us to explore new worlds, learn about the world we live in, and learn about ourselves—and others!
Reading can help manage anxiety or even reduce stress.
There is a reason why many people read before bed: it helps them fall asleep. A good book can be a perfect escape from the stressors of the day, allowing you to relax and forget about your troubles for a while. Reading can also help you sleep more soundly at night, which will leave you feeling refreshed the next day.
Reading is an escape from reality
Reading is an escape from reality. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, reading a book can be your way of relaxing and unwinding at the end of a long day. If you grow tired of your daily routine, reading offers an escape into another life that could be very different from yours but still has familiar elements to make it relatable. It allows readers to explore new worlds with their minds while also being able to travel back to familiar ones they have already discovered in other books. Simply put: reading lets us live someone else’s life for a little while because we are able to experience so many different personalities through words on paper or screen as opposed to just one or two people in real life (or even less if we don’t interact with anyone).
Reading can help us reconnect with our own selves when we get lost in fiction and forget about ourselves for awhile! I think this happens because when we read about other characters’ lives it helps us remember that there’s more than one way one can go through life; there may be paths not taken which could lead down interesting roads full of adventure!
Reading has many beneficial cognitive and mental effects
Reading is a great way to relax and escape. It can be relaxing but also engaging, keeping your brain occupied while your body unwinds.
Reading can also be a great way to learn new things, as long as you read books on subjects that interest you. If you want to improve your math skills, read a book about math; if you’re interested in history or politics, try reading some historical or political literature; if adventure stories are more up your alley, try those instead!
Reading can help get in touch with your emotions by allowing them room to breathe before they overwhelm the mind by becoming too intense at once (this is similar when talking about meditation). When reading fiction especially (as opposed to nonfiction), there’s always something new waiting around every corner—it’s almost like being surprised all over again every time!