Upgrade your brain…READ!
First written in Aug 13, 2020
Did you know that reading can improve your mental health? In a world of sound bites and short attention spans, the act of reading allows us to focus our minds for sustained periods of time. This increases our ability to concentrate which then improves memory. In fact, reading has been shown to slow cognitive decline as we age.
If you are looking for a way to upgrade your mental powers, reading will help! Each book I read contributes in its own way to my ever-broadening perspective on life. I get to travel to exotic lands, meet foreign people with different customs, and live vicariously through the author’s words. This is the reason I love to read; it expands my horizons, teaches me new things, and provides a temporary escape from reality.
Reading also makes us more empathetic and socially aware. We are swept away by our imaginations as we enter someone else’s situation. We celebrate their successes, bemoan their failures, and learn about their lives. In short, we discover our humanity through the art of good story-telling.
Another benefit of reading is the oasis of tranquility you create when you curl up with a good book. The stresses of the day can be forgotten for a few precious minutes or hours as we lose ourselves in a captivating book.
Reading is as important to your brain as exercise is to your body so pick up a book on something that interests you and stretch those mental muscles!
“What an astonishing thing a book is. One glance and you’re inside the mind of another person.”