As it turns out, reading can boast a host of benefits. As it also turns out, I read a lot so I stand here before you today (actually, I’m sitting on the couch, but that’s beside the point), to share some of said benefits with you. 😉
- Reading Makes You Smarter
Okay, so maybe it doesn’t literally raise your IQ (but then again, it might), but reading does add to your bank of information that you then have stored in your brain. That means that in the future you’ll be able to pull from that information (on purpose and also automatically), so therefore reading does help you have more knowledge. - Reading Helps You Empathize with More People
There have been many times when I can relate to an emotion someone is experiencing, not from my own life, but because I’ve seen the same emotion through the eyes of a character. Add thousands of these experiences together and it can give a helpful framework for how someone may want to be treated. - Reading Is A Great Escape
It’s not always a good idea to “escape” a problem, but sometimes stepping back and getting some relief in a stressful or trying situation can do a world of good. Grabbing a light-hearted contemporary generally does the trick for me. - Reading Can Make You More Well-Rounded
It was an eye-opening day for me when a friend of mine mentioned how a book that took place in Egypt helped her to imagine the Bible times better. I hadn’t realized until then that not everyone had the backdrop to a thousand different time periods, cultures, and settings painted into their mind through the pages of books. - Reading Expands Your Vocabulary
It’s hard to describe something when you don’t have words with which to work. Reading helps more words enter your brain, and by either using the clues of context or by looking them up, you can add them to your repertoire of words to use in the future. - Reading Is A Great Way To Learn New Skills
There are so many how-to books out there. It’s actually rather glorious what all we can learn from reading. And, in addition to all the books, there are millions of articles. Isn’t it crazy to think of the fact that we will never run out of things to read? - Reading Opens Up A Whole World Of Friendships
I’m not talking about friendships with characters, although that’s pretty epic, too. I’m speaking more about when you get to talk about reading with other people – it can be instant connectivity. - Reading Is A Delightful, Inexpensive Form of Entertainment
Sure, you can spend a lot of money on books, but there are also great alternatives – like the library and book sales. So go, have fun, and learn a lot!
What is one of your favorite benefits to reading?
P.S. Stay tuned for a list of bookish recommendations coming soon!
Noveltea 
I absolutely have to agree with everything you wrote here! Reading is an amazing past time that engages your brain while you are sitting there 😀 It is a great method of escaping the stresses of life — I care for my grandparents who are both getting older, and it is wonderful to “escape” at the end of the day with a bit of light reading that draws me in and makes me forget the events for a little while.
I had to laugh at your mention of never running out of things to read — that was my greatest fear when I was younger! Now, I have to face the reality of the fact that I will never have time to read all the books I want to….and I have to pick and choose off my TBR list =)
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I can totally, totally relate to feeling like I was going to run out of things to read when I was a kid. Now I’m slightly overwhelmed at times by how many things I have that I do want to read! It’s crazy how that works.
Wow, good job taking care of your grandparents – I’m so glad you can read at the end of your long days. That’s a great way to end the day. ❤
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Oh yes, yes, yes! To all of these a huge yes! Reading is amazing, I can’t do without it.
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I can’t imagine life without books – and I’m so glad that there’s no reason I have to imagine it!
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Lovely post! I really liked how you said reading helps us to better empathize with others who are in different circumstances. I can’t tell you how often i’ve been reading a book and i’ll be like, “Wow, that’s how they’re feeling and that’s what they need their friend to do to help them feel better?” It’s pretty cool!
-Bekah
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Yes indeed! Sometimes people are like “how did you know that” about some feeling etc… that I was able to describe, and I realize that it comes from reading so much. Reading has helped me so much in life!
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Reading books like westerns and others have come more alive now that i travel around more. I understand the lay of lands i had read about. It adds dimensions to the books now when i reread them because i can better see in my minds eye what i am reading.
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That’s so cool! And yes, I can agree. Whenever I go to a new country, etc… I like to read books that take place there so I can then see it more clearly when I actually visit. It’s one of the coolest parts of reading!
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