Photo by Catherine Hammond on Unsplash
Mar 2023
Everything Old
Turn the page on old reading habits
by Corbin Crable
March is National Reading Month, and with it comes a greater awareness of the benefits of reading.
Established to honor Dr. Seuss, one of the first authors to which we are exposed, the month is especially geared toward children, encouraging them to establish positive reading habits at an early age. And studies lend credibility to the often-stated belief that reading has real benefits for both the mind and the body.
In 2013, brain scans of people who read a novel showed areas of the participants’ brain light up with activity as the plot of the novel they were assigned became more tense. As they read and even afterward, brain connectivity rose, especially in the somatosensory cortex, or the part of the brain that registers physical sensations, according to the health blog Healthline.
In addition, reading on a regular basis increases one’s ability to empathize with others, it builds one’s vocabulary, reduces stress, and helps to alleviate symptoms of depression, among other benefits, according to Healthline. As you age, reading – even articles, if not full books and novels – will help keep your mind sharp and engaged, the National Institute on Aging shares.
But we already knew much of that, right? We know what we’re supposed to do in order to maintain good brain health. In adulthood, though, the reality of actually reading on a regular basis is quite different. In such a busy, active world, who has the time?
I admit to being one of those people who was a voracious reader as a child, but who might have let that good habit lapse over the years. Though I’m unmarried and don’t have any children, I keep busy with work and other commitments – it all adds up, and the time seems to slip away, much like the chapters of a book that draws you in, one that you just can’t seem so put down.
Like most everything in life, we only reap the benefits of reading when we actually put in the mental work. In an age during which it seems like we’re increasingly having difficulty focusing (thanks, social media!), that might seem like a tall order. A potential solution to this issue is to set aside just a few moments before going to bed each night – turn off that television set and put that phone down and pick up that physical book or open that Kindle.
But we already knew much of that, right? We know what we’re supposed to do in order to maintain good brain health. In adulthood, though, the reality of actually reading on a regular basis is quite different. In such a busy, active world, who has the time?
I admit to being one of those people who was a voracious reader as a child, but who might have let that good habit lapse over the years. Though I’m unmarried and don’t have any children, I keep busy with work and other commitments – it all adds up, and the time seems to slip away, much like the chapters of a book that draws you in, one that you just can’t seem so put down.
Like most everything in life, we only reap the benefits of reading when we actually put in the mental work. In an age during which it seems like we’re increasingly having difficulty focusing (thanks, social media!), that might seem like a tall order. A potential solution to this issue is to set aside just a few moments before going to bed each night – turn off that television set and put that phone down and pick up that physical book or open that Kindle.