Over the past few days, listening to my niece beg me to read her story after story, I've been pondering the positive effects of reading extensively from a young age, and now I'm here to share my thoughts with the world. :)
One obvious reason reading is good for you is that it improves your vocabulary. The more you read, the more words you know. And if you are taking the time to look up any words that you don't understand, that helps too. This is true for any age. At a young age, like my niece's, stretching her vocabulary is good for her brain development.
Reading can also improve your writings skills. This isn't exactly relevant for my niece yet, seeing as she isn't even 2, but in my own life I have definitely seen the proof of this fact.
Reading can improve your imagination. As a person who uses their imagination daily, I personally think this is vitally important. :)
Reading can introduce you to cultures outside of your own, providing an education that will hopefully serve to make you a more open, loving individual. One that enjoys the various things that set people apart rather than viewing them as bad.
Books also serve to teach many life lessons, often in very subtle ways that aren't preachy in a way that would turn off a reader. This leads to readers being healthy, contributing members of society. (if they take those life lessons to heart, that is)
Scientifically speaking, studies do show that reading can slow the progress of dementia and Alzheimer's through keeping your brain active. Basically, if you exercise your brain, it works much better than if you don't. Reading can also improve your attention span, reduce stress, enhance brain function, etc. I don't have the knowledge myself to go into detail about all that, but I'll give you a link to an article about it that I found fascinating and helpful. 6 Scientific Reasons Reading is Amazing for Your Health
I for one, if you haven't already picked up on this, am a huge reader. I don't choose to read because of all the reasons listed above, I simply love reading....almost as much as I love writing. There have been times, however, that I have read with the purpose of perfecting my craft (writing).
What about you? Do you love to read? Do you know of other benefits to reading that I haven't mentioned here?
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