Reading books is really good for your health. Check out these incredible reasons to read books more often.
Read a book and live longer! A recent study found that adults who read three and a half hours a week are more likely (by 25%!) to outlive those who don’t read (Social Science & Medicine study). That means you could add two to three years to your life by reading books!
Be creative and open-minded. Readers of short stories need far less cognitive closure than those who read nonfiction essays (University of Toronto study). Fiction readers are more open-minded and creative.
Have more great sex! Many women are reporting that reading Fifty Shades of Grey has made them feel like taking control in the bedroom — despite the book’s emphasis on sexual submission. A study done in England reports that women had about three times more sex after reading Fifty Shades of Grey. And the aftereffects lasted as long as six months.
Read books and live longer! Those adults over 50 who read books for 30 minutes every day live an average of 23 months longer than nonreaders or those who read magazines and newspapers (Yale University study). Reading books create a strong cognitive engagement that improves vocabulary, thinking skills, concentration, emotional intelligence, and empathy.
Successful people read! High achievers focus on self-improvement. They read lots of self-help books.
Cut risks of colds and flu. Taking a break from your daily grind by reading something that helps you relax can cut your risk of colds and flu by 40% (Ohio State University study). What to read? Novels, magazines you enjoy, catalogs, memoirs, children’s books. Taking a break by reading can prompt a 55% drop in cortisol production. Lower levels of this stress hormone allows your immune system to release antibodies (your first line of defense against germs).
Lower your body mass index. Regular reading leads to a lower body mass index just as reliably as regular exercise like jogging.
Get a raise! Going to the library gives people the same kick as getting a $2,282 raise (United Kingdom’s Department for Culture, Media & Sport).
Reading is good for your health. Books are good for your health.