Reading is a cherished activity that has been a staple in people’s lives for centuries. Before iPhones and video games, it was the only source of entertainment someone could access from home. It is one of those hobbies we have all been bred to hate, probably due to being forced to read books as a student with topics you don’t find any interest in. Finding enjoyment in reading can be a tough hill to climb, but it ultimately benefits you. Reading has endless benefits, including better sleep, vocabulary expansion, building concentration, and reducing stress.
Stress and concentration are the two most significant benefits of reading. It can significantly affect your concentration as it forces you to sit down and focus on one thing. With cell phones and up-and-coming social media clipped to one-second videos, everyone is so used to a short attention span and multitasking. Reading challenges this and forces us to gain a greater attention span. If you block out a chunk of time to sit down and read to immerse yourself in the story, you will notice yourself gaining a longer attention span and better focus. I have been reading for pleasure for about four years now and noticed a difference in my attention span. I can engage in conversation topics longer and pay better attention during school lectures.
Another benefit can include reducing stress levels. Reading can be a very calming activity. If you find a comfortable place and a good book, you can relax and immerse yourself in the story you read. Many people think that reading has to be this big intellectual hobby when it doesn’t need to be. You can find and enjoy a book about almost anything you are interested in. My favorite thing to do when reading to keep me engaged is to picture what’s happening in the book in my head. This helps create a movie in my head of the events in the book, keeping me more engaged.
Overall, reading is such a beneficial hobby. It can help you in so many ways, from stress to concentration. Reading has helped build my attention span as well as my day-to-day stress.
