6 Benefits of Reading for Yourself

For the second time, I have been chosen to be a World Book Night giver for our area.  Today, April 23, is the second annual World Book Night. As a giver, I will hand out FREE copies of Margaret Atwood’s “Handmaid’s Tale” to new or light readers.  I have 20 copies to give out, so first come, first served.  Come out to the New Providence train station at 4:30pm to celebrate literacy and the joy of reading as part of this world-wide event!

6 Benefits of Reading for Yourself

Why read?  Reading offers many benefits to people of all ages.

1. Parents who read encourage children to read.  Are you a parent?  When is the last time your children saw you reading for enjoyment?  We all want our kids to be strong readers. Did you know that you can help teach your children great reading habits just from them seeing you read?  Social Learning Theory describes how modeled behaviors like reading for enjoyment, will encourage children to adopt those same behaviors in which they observe their parents’ participation.  Basically, if they see YOU reading, THEY will read more, too.
2. Reading reduces stress.  Reading for enjoyment, especially reading Fiction, helps toreduce stress and enhances tranquility.  When reading a great story, your mind lets go of its worries.  Reading causes the mind to shift gears and the body to be still.  De-stress your life while engaging your mind.
3. Strengthen your brain through reading.  Studies have proven that reading stimulates your brain in different ways that other forms of entertainment cannot.  Reading sharpens memory, increases learning capacity, and makes your mind stronger.  You don’t have to be reading dry, boring texts to get smarter.  It’s the act of reading that strengthens your brain.
4. Reading’s sexy, and you know it.  Okay, so maybe this claim hasn’t been scientifically proven (yet), but there’s an entire Tumblr site dedicated to “Hot Guys Reading Books,” so there must be something to it, right?  Seeing someone reading lets you get a sneak peek into their private time.  Choosing to read for yourself shows a desire to learn and experience new things.  Witnessing someone’s desires?  What’s sexier than that?
5. Win more Words With Friends and Scrabble games by reading.  Want to kick butt in online word games?  Reading increases vocabulary.  The more you read, the more words you are exposed to.  Word exposure is a big part of increased vocabulary.  You don’t need to look up definitions to learn word meanings.  Your brain will determine meaning through repetition and context.  Once the words are learned, they’re forever in your brain bank for high-scoring games.
6. Reading enhances social skills.  Really!  Books offer great conversation starters and topics for discussion.  Simply asking, “Have you read any good books lately?” will usually spark a great flurry of chatter.  (Just make sure you have a pen handy to write down all the great titles you’ll get if you ask that one!)  There’s a reason talk shows feature new bestsellers.  Reading the same hot titles forges connections with people.  Avoid awkward silences by reading!


For more information about World Book Night, please go tohttp://www.worldbooknight.org

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