CEBU, Philippines - November is Reading Month. It now requires a whole month every year to bring the values of reading back in the minds of people. This beautiful human pastime and learning tradition has of late been pushed to the backseat of popular preference and already takes real effort to promote again.
In this fast-paced age of instant products and the social media, the most reading that people do centers around tweets, Facebook updates, or the directions on product packets. There is now hardly time to read a book or even a magazine article.
Many people no longer make a habit of reading regularly - and they may be missing out a lot. There's a lot to gain from reading, aside from the obvious entertainment and acquisition of information. The website www.lifehack.org lists some of the benefits of reading.
Mental Stimulation
Studies show that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of (or possibly even prevent) Alzheimer's and Dementia, since keeping the brain active and engaged helps retain mental power. The brain is just like any other muscle in the body; it requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy. The phrase "use it or lose it" applies when it comes to the brain, and reading helps in cognitive stimulation, like crossword puzzles and games of chess.
Stress Reduction
Reading a good book is relaxing, or at least an effective diversion from the stresses of work and personal life. The various stressful issues of daily life easily slip away when one is absorbed in a great story. A book on travel transports its readers to other places, and a well-written novel takes one to other realms exciting and adventurous - but very safely. Reading lets tensions drain away.
Knowledge
Reading fills the mind with bits of information, which can be practically useful in due time. Every new information adds up to one's knowledge, making one better-equipped to tackle the challenges of life. And once knowledge is acquired, it can very hardly be taken away - unlike material possessions or jobs or money, or even health. What's more, knowledge in literature, the arts, scientific breakthroughs, and global events are very useful in social settings.
Vocabulary Expansion
The more one reads, the more words he encounters. The reader is likely to come across new words, which he has to look in the dictionary in order to understand the material he is reading. In effect, his vocabulary expands. An extensive vocabulary is of great help in any profession and in personal conversations; it builds one's self-confidence to know that he has a stock of apt words to effectively express himself.
Memory Improvement
When reading a good novel, for instance, one can't help but remember the story, the difficulties the characters go through, the names of the characters themselves, as well as the various arcs and sub-plots that weave their way through the story. The brain just remembers these things with relative ease. Amazingly enough, every new memory created forges new synapses or brain pathways and strengthens existing ones. This assists in memory recall as well as in stabilizing moods.
Better Analytical Thinking Skills
Especially among mystery novel fans, they sometimes solve the presented mystery in the story before even finishing the book. When this happens, the reader is likely able to have put his critical and analytical thinking to work by taking note of all the details provided and sorting them out to determine "whodunnit."
The same ability to analyze details also comes in handy when it comes to critiquing the plot; determining whether it was a well-written piece, if the characters were properly developed, if the storyline ran smoothly, etc. And in discussing the book with others, the reader is able to state his opinions clearly, as he has taken the time to thoroughly consider all the aspects involved.
Improved Focus and Concentration
In this internet-crazed world, attention is drawn in so many different directions at once as we multi-task through every day. In a five-minute span, the average person divides his time between working on a task, checking email, chatting online with a couple of people, keeping an eye on his Twitter, monitoring his smartphone, and interacting with co-workers. This onslaught of activities causes stress levels to rise, and lowers productivity.
But in reading a book, all attention is focused on the story - the rest of the world just falls away, and the mind is immersed in the every fine detail of the reading material. Reading for 15-20 minutes before work (i.e. on the morning commute), helps prepare one to much more focused upon getting to the office.
Better Writing Skills
It goes hand-in-hand with the vocabulary expansion: exposure to published, well-written work has a noted effect on one's own writing, as observing the cadence, fluidity, and writing styles of other authors invariably influences the reader's own writing skills. In the same way that musicians influence one another, and painters use techniques established by previous masters, so do writers learn how to craft prose by reading the works of others.
Tranquility
In addition to the relaxation that accompanies reading a good book, it's possible that the subject being read about can bring about immense inner peace and tranquility to the reader. Reading spiritual texts can lower blood pressure and bring about an immense sense of calm, while reading self-help books has been shown to help people suffering from certain mood disorders and mild mental illnesses.
Free Entertainment
Obviously, reading is a very good pastime. And it doesn't have to cost anything, except perhaps the effort to visit a public library and bask in the glory of the countless books available there for free. Libraries have books on every subject imaginable, and since they rotate their stock and constantly get new books, they never run out of interesting reading materials.
Now with the advent of the so-called e-books, it has become all the more possible for even the mobility-impaired to enjoy a book, There are books available in PDF or ePub format that can be read on the e-reader, iPad, or on the computer screen. There are also many online sources where free e-books can be downloaded.
For all the benefits it brings, reading is a convenient way for re-charging the mind and soul.