Wellness

Take a Look, It’s in a Book

By Fairport Wealth

Benefits of Reading Books

A good book can transport you to a faraway land, help you bond with your children at bedtime, and make you smarter. Books in the summer are especially appealing when read on the beach, in a hammock or with coffee on your porch.

But did you know books can add years to your life? Whether you are a voracious reader or have a stack of unread books on your nightstand, we hope to encourage you to keep reading with these physical and mental benefits:

Might Lengthen Your Lifespan
Reading books can reduce mortality by up to 20%. According to the researchers, “any level of book reading gave a significantly stronger survival advantage,” particularly for adults 65 and older who “redirect leisure time” from watching TV into reading books.

Encourages Empathy
Exploring stories in books helps us “get in someone else’s shoes.” A study found that literary fiction, in particular, led to readers being better at understanding what other people were thinking and feeling, along with increasing their capacity for empathy.

Promotes Brain Health
Like the rest of your body, your brain needs exercise. Reading books is one way to help keep your mind sharp. While it’s inconclusive if reading can prevent dementia, research suggests that older people who read more than those who don’t appear to have a reduced risk of cognitive decline.

Reduces Stress
High levels of stress are associated with a variety of physical and mental problems. Engaging in stress-relieving activities, like reading books, is an easy way to help keep cortisol levels down. One study revealed that 30 minutes of reading had the same ability to decrease stress as 30 minutes of yoga.

Improves Sleep
Does your bedtime routine include a few minutes (or hours) of screen time? If it does, chances are good that your sleep is negatively impacted. Reading a book before bed, however, has exactly the opposite effect. Research shows that reading a book in bed before sleeping leads to improved quality of sleep.

Need some book suggestions? Join us on June 21st for a virtual book discussion with Elisabeth Plumlee-Watson of Loganberry Books, an independent woman-owned bookstore. She will offer under-the-radar book recommendations to get you and your family reading this summer. And, even better, Loganberry will make a 10% donation to Cleveland Kids Book Bank on any new book purchases that day that we’ll match up to $500.

A chapter a day: Association of book reading with longevity, Avni Bavishi, Martin D. Slade, Becca R. Levy, Social Science & Medicine, Vol. 164, Yale University School of Public Health, September 2016.

Reading Literary Fiction Improves Theory of Mind, David Comer Kidd and Emanuele Castano, SCIENCE, Vol 342, Issue 6156, October 3 2013.

Reading activity prevents long-term decline in cognitive function in older people: evidence from a 14-year longitudinal study, Yu-Hung Chang,  I-Chien Wu, Chao A. Hsiung, International Psychogeriatrics, Cambridge University Press, June 5 2020.

Stress Management Strategies For Students: The Immediate Effects Of Yoga, Humor, And Reading On Stress, Denise Rizzolo, Genevieve Pinto Zipp, Susan Simpkins, Doreen Stiskal, Journal of College Teaching and Learning, January 2009.

Does reading a book in bed make a difference to sleep in comparison to not reading a book in bed? The People’s Trial—an online, pragmatic, randomised trial, Elaine Finucane, Ann O’Brien, Shaun Treweek, John Newell, Kishor Das, Sarah Chapman, Paul Wicks, Sandra Galvin, Patricia Healy, Linda Biesty, Katie Gillies, Anna Noel-Storr, Heidi Gardner, Mary Frances O’Reilly, and Declan Devane, Trials, Dec 4 2021.