We all know that we need to read more, right? Most of us don’t really do that. The National Endowment for the Arts reports that in 2022 only 48.5% of American adults read at least one book, compared with 52.7% in 2017.
That’s a stealth opportunity that’s dropped. Half of all adults don’t read books, and the ones that do get an advantage they don’t even realize at first. Reading works like compound interest—it takes time to yield results, and it benefits those who continue reading.
Six Minutes to a Calmer Mind
The first thing a book softens is stress. In a well-known 2009 study at the University of Sussex, just six minutes of silent reading lowered stress levels by up to 68%. That was the beat to listen to music and have a cup of tea. A walk followed the two.
Why does it work? The mind follows a story or a line of argument and the sound of the day is lost. Muscles loosen. Your heart rate slows. Yes it was a small study, but anyone who lost an hour to a good novel will know that feeling.
A Better End to the Day
Rolling in bed does not allow the brain to rest. A paper book does the reverse. There are no pages that flash, ping, or request a response. Most people can fall asleep in 10 (or fewer) pages before bedtime.
A healthy night’s sleep results in a better day. You wake up clearer, a little less rushed and much more likely to maintain all other good habits.
Reading and a Longer Life
This one is a surprise. Yale scientists tracked approximately 3,600 people over 50 for 12 years. About 20% fewer readers died during the study period than non-readers, and readers lived about 23 months longer.
Correlation does not imply causation, and it is possible that healthy individuals simply happen to read more. However, this difference persisted even after adjusting for factors such as wealth, education, and health. If we remember that novels for free reading are an excellent stress reliever, then the picture becomes a little clearer. It is quite plausible that those who turn to a reading app—like FictionMe—to unwind are also taking care of their health, certainly more so than those who might use alcohol for the same purpose.
Keeping the Brain Sharp
However, the brain is like a muscle in one respect: it must be used! Research published in the journal Neurology in 2013 followed older people for a little over six years. Memory function declined 32% faster than average among those who took part in mental activity, such as reading, as part of their habits.
Also, there is no time of life requirement. It’s a mental workout when you learn new words, follow a complicated storyline, and keep track of a dozen characters. The sooner the better, as the benefits accumulate.
Words That Work for You
Read and your vocabulary will expand without a single flash card. New words are seen in context, therefore, they are retained. Before long there are fewer fumblings when explaining ideas, more confidence when speaking and better written emails.
It’s important at work. Somebody who can say exactly what he’s saying in two sentences, rather than ten, saves everybody time, people notice it.
Walking in Other People’s Shoes
Novels transport you into other people’s minds. Anyone can open Fiction Me for iOS and feel like the leader of a mafia clan. A farmer. A refugee. A king. One young boy who is isolated at the end of the bus ride home. There is some research that indicates this type of reading cultivates empathy, but there is a range of opinion regarding the strength of the impact.
Despite all this, however, the practice is beneficial. You learn first to ask what the reason is for something before making judgment. That makes friends, makes a family and makes an unruly meeting go better.
Focus in a Distracted Age
Mathis’ drawing of attention is under fire. According to Gloria Mark, an Irvine researcher, over the past few years, the average person has spent just about 47 seconds on a single screen before moving to another. Forty-seven seconds!
The opposite skill is learned in a book. You remain with one thread for 20 minutes, then 30 minutes, then one hour. That level of concentration extends to work, school, and even normal discussion – and listening is becoming a rarity.
Ideas You Can Use Tomorrow
Nonfiction is a speedy way. Someone learns a lesson the hard way and you do it over a weekend. There is a book on almost everything, such as money, habits, parenting, public speaking and cooking.
The key is in action. Read a chapter, read one idea and give it a try for the week. Authors are good at books that help to develop the personal growth of readers; they are good at them not because they are displayed on a shelf to look smart, but because they are used.
How to Build the Habit
Start small. Twenty pages a day is not a lot but it equates to about 7,300 pages a year or 24 average novels. Have a book to hand in your bag. Read while on the bus, at lunch and before bedtime.
Don’t read books that you don’t like, for there’s time enough for that and the book shelf is long. Audiobooks count and so do ebooks! It doesn’t matter the format. The habit is.
Final Thoughts
Just about everything is affected by reading – stress, sleep, memory, focus, relationships, and maybe even life? That’s a lot to ask from any app — and none have the fresh paper aroma.
So tonight, choose one book. Open it. Read ten pages. Do the same thing the next day and see how things are slowly changing.
