by Katherine Everett

Can you remember the last time you sat down and read a nice, thick book? Or even a newspaper? Can you remember the crisp scent of the pages as you leafed through them? The cool, smooth surface of the paper beneath your fingertips? Maybe? If you’ve been too busy updating your Facebook page or uploading pictures of your cat to Instagram to take a few minutes to read, you might want to re-think your schedule and find the time to pick up a book. There are a surprising number of benefits you just might be missing out on.

1. It Can Improve Your Mental Health
Not feeling yourself lately? Have you ever suffered from nervousness or anxiety? Try picking up a book. Studies have shown that reading can reduce anxiety, depression, and even improve brain function. The more you read the more the connectivity in your brain is enhanced which can quickly and permanently turn your brain into a well-oiled machine. The healing power of reading was known even as far back as World War 1 where libraries where set up to help soldiers work through mental trauma. Who would’ve thought!

2. It Lowers Your Stress
Stress reduction goes hand-in-hand with reducing anxiety and improving brain function. Psychologists have found that while you may be tempted to drink a cup of tea or go on a short walk to de-stress, reading may be a better option. They believe that the act of reading and getting caught up in the world of the book distracts the mind and can help ease tension in your muscles and heart. Had a stressful day at work with your boss yelling at you all day? Reading a book can make all that awful stress melt away.

3. It Makes You Smarter
Alright, your brain might be running a little faster now that you’ve started reading, but does that mean you’re any smarter? Actually, yes! Studies show that reading activates your frontal lobe which helps process and apply information. Through the simple act of reading you can easily strengthen your critical thinking skills and work through problems faster. Do you regret all those days wasted that you could’ve spent with a nice novel yet?

4. It Can Build Your Wealth
It’s pretty simple. The more you read, the more words you learn, the more you use those words in your daily life. While everyone wants to be well-spoken, the benefits from having a broader vocabulary go far beyond knowing the meaning of “cacology”. (I’ll give you a hint: it has something to do with having a poor choice of words.) Ironic, no? Being articulate can be very helpful in nearly any career and sounding professional can only help to move you up the ladder quicker with promotions and recommendations from your impressed employers. Reading more could actually get you a better job!

5. Reading Novels Teaches You about the World
Well of course, you might be thinking. That’s why I hated reading my textbooks so much in school. They were jam-packed full of information – boring information, that is. And yes, you’d be right to think that for pleasure most people would much rather read a fictional novel than their history textbook, but studies have shown that novels are even more important than non-fictional works in informing people about the world. Studies show that stories expose children to information about how the world is organized from everything from social systems to gender and racial inequality and prejudice. Even if you don’t feel like reading as an adult, it is vital that you do it as a kid.

6. It Is Entertaining
What if I told you that I had a piece of technology that would entertain you for hours on end and never required wifi, a log-in password, or even a power cord? Sounds pretty good, right? Yes, we’re still talking about books! Books cost a lot less than that new I-Pad and can even be found for free – yes you read it – free, at your local library or through free e-books online. Of course if you already have a reading device and use Amazon Prime the savings are tremendous too. Whichever way you do it, I guarantee that, between your library, Kindle, Nook, and local bookstore, you will never run out of stuff to read. Whether you like romance, horror, sci-fi, or Harry Potter fan-fiction, your options are endless. So why not go check out what books are within your reach?