There are many reasons why someone may pick up a book. You may read to grow your knowledge in a specialised field or because you enjoy stories in certain settings. In fact, you oftentimes may feel like your mood has improved after reading for a while. That’s because, on top of all the cognitive benefits that reading has, reading actually boosts your mental health as well!
With World Mental Health Day coming up on 10 October, we share a few ways that your reading habit contributes positively to improving your mental health.
- Your stress levels fall when you’re reading.
A survey done by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy reported that 43% of people in the UK shared that reading helped them to manage their stress, during the pandemic. Similarly, a study in 2009 found that reading was as effective as watching comedies or doing yoga in reducing stress.
Reading allows you to immerse yourself in a narrative that’s outside of yourself and can be a form of escapism from the stressors in your life. What’s also great to know is that even half an hour of reading is enough to have a positive effect on your stress levels and get you going for the day.
- Reading fosters connection.
Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, once famously declared, “Man is by nature a social animal.” That is, as human beings, we need social connection in order to feel fulfilled in life. In fact, this is so important that the World Health Organisation has included social isolation as a priority piece in their work for seniors; given that social isolation leads to poorer health outcomes.
While reading cannot fully replace the comfort of a quality friendship, it can stimulate the part of our brain that enjoys connecting with others. When we read, we develop relationships with the figures in the narrative, whether it’s the narrator of the non-fiction book or the characters in the story. Research has shown that research builds up our empathy and ability to relate to others; this feeling of social connectivity is key to developing good mental health.
- You cultivate mindfulness.
Life is fast-paced in modern society. Things move very quickly and we seem to always be chasing deadlines. It can be exciting to lead such an active lifestyle, particularly when everything is going well – however, it comes at the cost of our mental health.
Reading makes you slow down (no matter how fast you read, there’s still a limit to how much information you can take in at once!) and stay in the moment with your text. This helps you to cultivate greater mindfulness as your attention is focused solely on what you’re doing. In this age of distraction, these moments of intense focus are key in maintaining your mental health and sense of self.
- Reading can be an alternative to other bad habits.
As we’re well aware, we only have a limited amount of time in a day. What we choose matters and can have an impact on our mental health. A common reason that people cite for not reading is not having enough time. Yet, we can turn this around on its head: what if we used time spent doing other activities to read?
Instead of reaching for our mobile phones to scroll through social media, why don’t we pull up a book? While there’s nothing wrong with going on Instagram, sometimes we spend too much time on these platforms. They are, after all, designed to be addictive; and yet, numerous studies have shown that increased usage of social media leads to poorer sleep and more negative thoughts about oneself.
There’s no need to go cold turkey entirely – everything is best in moderation. There is value in replacing some of the time we spend engaging in bad habits, such as over-use of Instagram and TikTok, with a healthier habit, such as reading.
Looking for recommendations on your next read? Check out the NexPage app, where you can access high quality summaries of a variety of top-selling books from across the region. The app is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, so download now!