8 Ways to Read More Books —And Why You Should

I carry one of the most useful lessons of childhood with me to this day: always take a book. That rule served me well in third grade, when I sneakily read The Baby-Sitters Club under my desk during math class. (After my teacher confiscated it, I pulled out another.) It’s kept me busy on airplanes, during long drives, while taking a breather in the middle of a hiking trail, and in the corner of social gatherings. (Yes, I’m a blast at parties…if you want to debate the umpteenth remake of Pride and Prejudice.) [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] I love to read—and wish I could do more of it—because it’s an effective and entertaining way to quiet my always-busy brain. Reading also comes with health perks: Research suggests that devouring books helps keep the mind sharper for longer, while lowering heart rate and feelings of psychological distress. Plus, reading before bed can improve sleep quality. Some research suggests that literary fiction, in particular, helps people develop empathy and critical-thinking skills. Becoming immersed in a book allows us to “enter the perspective of characters—not just their thinking, but their feeling,” says literacy scholar Maryanne Wolf, who’s the author of books including Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World. But we’re not doing it all that frequently. According to a 2021 survey by the Pew Research Center, 23% of adults in the U.S. didn’t read a...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Books Evergreen healthscienceclimate Wellbeing Source Type: news