Reading is one of the activities that defines us as human beings and, in the meantime, has lost its popularity in the modern world, due to new and less demanding forms of entertainment, such as television, film and video games.
However, it is worth spending a few minutes thinking about the habit of reading because, after all, what does reading give us?
- Reading opens up the infinite richness of knowledge.
- Stimulates our imagination.
- Our senses and our emotions.
- It is a mental exercise.
- In which our brain actively participates.
- Ordering ideas.
- Joining concepts and provoking reactions and opinions.
- This type of brain brainstorming that occurs in our brain establishes new synapses.
- Which promote critical thinking and prevent our cognitive functions.
- Such as memory.
- Concentration and attention deteriorate.
A study conducted at the University of Oxford found that regular readers in adolescence are much more likely to succeed professionally in their third decade of life, which is not surprising, given what we saw in the previous point, the benefits this activity brings to our minds and the range of knowledge to which we are exposed.
Yes, reading improves social relationships in many ways: one because by providing new and diverse topics of knowledge, we have more topics to discuss and share with others. The shockwave that begins in our brains connecting neurons to each other continues to have an effect when we interconnect with other people and the phenomenon does not stop there, because the exchange of ideas enriches the subject with new and unexpected perspectives and views that we had not glimpsed, which in turn expands the potential of our brain.
Another way reading encourages our social interaction: the common interest in a particular book or reading topic with a group of people gives us a sense of belonging to the members of that group.
Finally, it has been proven that reading the narrative genre in particular encourages empathy, because it encourages us to get involved and even identify with the feelings, dramas and emotions that characters experience. Funny, isn’t it?
This can happen for several reasons: firstly because by showing the different circumstances in which we live or have lived human beings in different places, cultures and times, it makes us relativize our situation and see that our problems are not the only or the most serious. . that exists. It can also make us learn other experiences, acquire new resources to apply in life.
Reading is also useful as stress therapy because it is a pleasant activity in itself, which relaxes us and simply makes us enjoy such a grateful activity; In addition, reading uplifting topics that give us hope and shows constructive alternatives on how to see life, such as spiritual books, expands our possibilities and increases our well-being.