As a book lover, you know that reading is good for you because it improves your focus, memory, empathy, and communication skills. It can lower the stress levels, improve overall mental health, and help you live longer. Reading also allows you to learn new things to help you succeed in your work and relationships.
1. Reading Can Improves Your Vocabulary
Reading exposes people to new words. By learning new words, people develop deeper understanding of their language and how to use it.
For people learning English (including children and adults), books will help them to not only learn new words but understand how to use them. The words in books are in sentences that show how, where and when words are used in the English language.
2. Reading Improves Concentration
Reading takes time, patience, and concentration. Basically, reading forces you to use your brain. In thoughts shared by the One World Literacy Foundation, when you read, you need to “reason things out which are unfamiliar.”
3. Reading Regularly Builds Your Reading Fluency
Have you ever noticed a friend reads really fast? Well, that comes with time, patience and practice.
When we start out teaching children at a young age, they read very slowly. They will sound out each word and think about it for a while before saying it. It might take five minutes to get through one sentence!
But over time and with a lot of practice, we become more and more fluent at reading. There’s a few reasons for this.
The first is that simply we get used to seeing some words. Instead of seeing each and every letter of the word, we begin to recognize the shapes of full words that are common in the English language.
This means we don’t have to actually read every letter. We skim over the text and instantly know each word.
The second reason is that we begin to predict what words we’ll see in a sentence. This is called putting a word into context.
4. Reading Develops Creative Thinking
Another one of the many reasons why reading is important is that it allows for creative thinking. Reading can inspire you when you are feeling bored, down or in a rut.. It can help give you that very needed pick-me-up without having to search too far for it. Reading helps get the creative side of your brain thinking, unlike television that really does not use much creative brain power.
5. Reading is a Great Conversation Starter
Not only is reading good for the soul and the mind, but another one of the many reasons why reading is important is that it makes for a great conversation starter. Reading provides you with a great deal of new information, and can connect people from all over the world.
Regardless of where two people may be from, if they’ve read the same book, it will always connect these two people together. You never really know when a book that you read will come in handy in conversation. Perhaps it will be what will land you the job in an interview, or perhaps will even help you become closer to a romantic partner that you’ve got your eye on.
The importance of reading is completely undeniable. The next time someone asks you: “Why is reading important?” you will have an educated and thorough answer to respond with. If you’re not the biggest fan of books, that’s ok! You’re not alone! But before you shut down books and reading all together, take the time to learn more about the importance of reading and all the incredible benefits that come with it.
Challenge yourself by stepping out of your comfort zone, and you may even surprise yourself with a newfound passion. You’ll be amazed to see the places reading can take you.