Holistic Health
Book reading can strengthen health and well-being
It not only broadens your horizons but can also help cope with a stressful reality
Immersing yourself in the written world is not just a pleasurable way to take a break from the grind of daily life , but it can also make you healthier and more relaxed .
This is based on a number of different studies and surveys that should convince you to make reading a regular habit if you want to improve your quality of life .
Reading books has been proven to decrease stress levels and can help readers navigate difficult times . The UK Annual Literacy Survey reports that reading made roughly 60 percent of children and young people feel better during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown . It analysed data from tens of thousands of responders aged between eight and 18 who read fiction and song lyrics as well as news and non-fiction , with three in ten saying that reading helped when they were feeling sad because they couldn ’ t see their families . Half highlighted how reading encouraged them to dream about the future .
Book reading can also help you fall asleep and avoid waking up at night by relaxing and giving you respite from the light of screen devices like smartphones and computers , which disrupt our ability to sleep . Book reading can therefore contribute to a host of health benefits because good quality sleep is associated with fewer illnesses , lower risk of diabetes and heart disease , and improved mood .
It should then be no surprise that a Yale University School of Public Health study showed reading books could make you live longer , with those who read books for more than three hours and a half a week experiencing a 20 percent reduction in mortality risk over the 12 years of follow-up compared to nonbook readers . Though it ’ s unclear how books do the trick , researchers pointed to studies showing that reading can increase connectivity between brain cells , potentially decreasing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases that can shorten lifespan .
Indeed , reading is one among several mental activities strongly recommended to prevent or stave off cognitive decline such as memory loss , a hallmark of ageing that in some cases can translate into full-blown dementia .
The practice of reading may also fine-tune our social skills , with studies showing that readers are better at grasping people ’ s desires , intentions , and beliefs as well as empathising with them .
“ Fiction is the simulation of selves in interaction . People who read it improve their understanding of others . This effect is especially marked with literary fiction , which also enables people to change themselves ,” Dr Keith Oatley , Professor of applied psychology and human development at the University of Toronto , wrote in the study Fiction : Simulation of Social Worlds .
He added that these benefits came from becoming emotionally involved with complex characters and circumstances that were hard to encounter in daily life .
“ Fiction can be thought of as a form of consciousness of selves and others that can be passed from an author to a reader or spectator , and can be internalized to augment everyday cognition ,” he concluded .
“ Fiction is the simulation of selves in interaction . People who read it improve their understanding of others .
20 ISSUE 5 | 2022 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com