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The Magic of Reading

10 Reasons Why Reading is the Best Hobby Ever

Reading isn't just a completely legit and interesting thing to do with your time. It's actually the coolest hobby ever, and here are some of the reasons why.

• 1. It calms you down 🧘

  If you're feeling anxious and overwhelmed, one of the best ways to calm your nerves is to read a book. In 2009, a group of researchers at the University of Sussex compared the effects of reading, music, yoga, walking and humor on the stress levels of students in demanding university programs in the United States. They found that reading was just as effective as yoga and humor and more effective than music or walking to overcome stress. The study found that 30 minutes of reading lowered blood pressure, heart rate, and feelings of psychological distress. The best news? It doesn't matter what kind of book you read, as long as you're engrossed in the content.

• 2. It increases your empathy 💞

  Several studies have shown that reading literary fiction increases your empathy towards others. Reading an engaging story will make you more understanding and aware of other's lives and challenges, helping you see past your own assumptions or stereotypes. In one study, researchers found that fiction readers showed a heightened ability to understand the feelings and beliefs of others. Researchers call this ability the “theory of mind,” a set of skills essential for building, navigating, and maintaining social relationships. While a single session of reading literary fiction isn't likely to spark this feeling, research shows that long-term fiction readers do tend to have a better-developed theory of mind.

• 3. It helps you sleep better 😴

  Reading signals to the mind that it's time to slow down and get some rest. Unlike using our phone or watching TV, there are no bright screens that stimulate our brains. Reading for 15-20 minutes before bed is a great way to relax and prepare for a great night's sleep. In fact, many doctors suggest integrating reading a print book into one's regular sleep routine.

• 4. It makes you smarter 🤓

  The more facts, situations, vocabulary, and perspectives you come across, the smarter you will become. Research has confirmed that reading involves a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. As your reading ability matures, those networks also get stronger and more sophisticated. In one study conducted in 2013, researchers used functional MRI scans to measure the effect of reading a novel on the brain. The scans showed that throughout the reading period and for days afterward, brain connectivity increased, especially in the part of the brain that responds to physical sensations like movement and pain.

• 5. It prevents cognitive decline 🧠

  The National Institute on Aging recommends reading books and magazines as a way of keeping your mind engaged as you grow older. Studies show that seniors who read every day maintain and improve their cognitive functioning. And the earlier you start, the better. A 2013 study conducted by Rush University Medical Center found that people who read books regularly all their lives were less likely to develop the plaques, lesions, and tau-protein tangles found in the brains of people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

• 6. It may help you live longer 👵🏻

  A long-term health and retirement study followed a cohort of 3,635 adult participants for a period of 12 years, finding that those who read books survived around 2 years longer than those who either didn't read or who read magazines and other forms of media. The study also concluded that people who read more than 3 1/2 hours every week were 23 percent likely to live longer than those who didn't read at all.

• 7. It makes you a great conversationalist 💬

  Reading will increase your linguistic skills. The more you read, the more vocabulary you're exposed to. This will help you become more articulate when speaking face to face with others. Plus, with all that reading you're bound to pick up a few witticisms here and there, or at least a decent enough way with words. You can even straight-up hijack a few full quotes and probably not get called out, unlike that friend of yours who's always quoting Scandal and acting like everyone isn't painfully aware of it.

• 8. It expands your horizons and prepares you for challenges 😎

  There are so many diverse subjects that you can read about that you are learning something every time that you read. Even if you choose to read fiction, you may learn something that is helpful in your life. Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to tackle any challenge you might face. Reading opens you up to new possibilities and ideas, which will stick with you long after you're finished turning the pages. Flipping through a book that transports you to another world turns will turn you into a better problem solver and critical thinker.

• 9. You can do it anywhere 🛀

  Except maybe the shower. But then again, these days the shower isn't off limits anymore either. Thanks to technology, you can literally be reading all the time, anywhere. A book, in whatever form, is so incredibly portable. Much more so than, say, a surfboard, or a drum set, or craft beer-making equipment. And you don't need a beach or a studio or a lab to do it.

• 10. You'll never run out of books to read 🤯

  Hate to squash your lifelong dream of reading every single book in the world before you die, but there are just too many! There were too many decades ago, and, every day, more are flooding the bookstores!