10 Ways Your Brain Upgrades Due to Reading
The brain is malleable, and reading changes it
I bought the first book for my child before 6 months of age.
Because I believe in the power of reading.
Books are magical portals. They transport you to different worlds in seconds. During that transfer, your brain upgrades to a new level.
Anyone can make big claims.
I am not only going to show you how the human brain improves due to reading, but I will be backing up my claims with research and studies. You’ll find the references in the embedded links.
Let’s go!
Reading enriches your vocabulary
Through reading, we connect with language.
We get access to a variety of new words and their usage. It expands our linguistic skills. We become more adept at recognizing the meaning of various words.
In short, we develop our vocabulary.
Vocabulary is the building block of any language. Having a good vocabulary helps us express ourselves better and understand others better. It helps us communicate.
Vocabulary growth in childhood is dependent on reading.
Research also shows that teenagers who read often or have more access to books perform better at vocabulary tasks. Teenagers who come from book-loving homes recognized 42% more words than their peers who grew up with few books.
Reading makes you more empathetic
Have you ever found yourself in tears while reading? Have you felt goosebumps?
When we read a book, we mirror the actions and feelings of the characters.
For example, if the character is doing a task, the relevant areas of our brain light up. This is also true for feelings. This is why we cry and laugh with the characters. We feel their pain and heartache.
“…when we read fiction, the brain actively simulates the consciousness of another person, including those whom we would never otherwise even imagine knowing.” — Maryanne Wolf
In short, we experience what the characters in the book are experiencing. That is why reading fiction improves empathy.
It allows us to put ourselves in the shoes of others. In the shoes of those, whose lives we have never lived and never will.
Here is a radical new solution for world peace. Make everyone read books!
Reading increases connections in the brain
As a child develops, his/her more and more connections are created between different areas of the brain. As many as 1 million new connections every second.
The creation of the neural connections is important for healthy brain development. These connections form the basis of learning, behavior, and health later on in life.
These are what help the child crawl, hold on to objects, or understand the emotions behind facial expressions.
What does reading have to do with it?
The brain connectivity between different areas of the brain increases when kids read books.
On the other hand, this connectivity decreases when they watch screens.
I must say when I read this, it made me all the more concerned for my child’s well-being. All parents are guilty of using screen time for one thing or the other. And I am no different.
And here is the thing…
It’s not the kids only. Reading affects the short-term and long-term connectivity of the brain in adults too.
To put it in a crude way, you build your brain when you read.
Reading makes you smarter
Reading improves the cognitive skills of the reader.
Both verbal and nonverbal intelligence show a correlation with reading rate and reading comprehension.
One study observed identical twins because intelligence is usually linked to genetics. Studying twins and their reading capability allowed for the ruling out of genetic differences.
The twin with higher reading ability was more intelligent than the cotwin.
“Early remediation of reading problems might not only aid in the growth of literacy, but may also improve more general cognitive abilities that are of critical importance across the life span.”
We all want to be smart. Now you got a way.
Reading helps you focus
Have you read Cal Newport’s book ‘Deep Work’?
In that, he makes us realize the importance of deep concentration. He also tells us to keep distractions at bay.
If we continually live a distracted life, we lose our ability to focus. That breaks down our creativity and learning ability.
In order to build our concentration skills, we need to practice. And one way to do that is to start reading.
Warning: Don’t read on screen!
Printed books are better for your attention span. Electronic devices allow for annoying pop-ups and the urge to scroll to social media apps.
If you feel that you are losing your ability to focus, pick up a book today!
When you do that, I advise you to keep your phone away so you don’t break the sacred trance.
Reading improves your mental health
We are seeing a rise in mental health issues around us. Be it depression, anxiety, or any other disorder.
Psychologists are making big bucks as a result.
Nah! I am not deterring you from going into therapy. I’ve benefited from it myself.
But for long-term and sustainable benefits, we all should inculcate habits that have a positive effect on our mental health.
One study worked with diagnosed depression patients. It showed that those who participated in a reading group showed a reduction in depressive systems over 12 months.
Reading Reduces Stress
Reading allows us to disconnect from our lives and teleport to an alternate reality.
Have you ever experienced the feeling that you are so engrossed in a book that the world around you ceases to exist? That experience is matchless.
Well, as it turns out reading reduces our stress.
Perhaps it is the unique enjoyment that we get from it or the temporary escape from reality that it provides.
Stress is a part and parcel of adult life. Bills, children, love life, you name it…
Many have developed unhealthy coping mechanisms for this stress. It can be endless scrolling on social media or drinking to the extent of passing out.
Let today be the day you learn an alternate way to handle stress. Pick up a book and read your stress away!
Reading develops Theory of Mind skills
When you read, you develop a deeper understanding of the people around you.
Understanding other people’s state of mind is called Theory of Mind. It includes the understanding that other people’s thoughts, desires, and beliefs can be different from one’s own.
Those suffering from various neurological issues or brain damage show a deficit in theory of mind.
“…reading passages of literary fiction …. does indeed enhance the reader’s performance on theory of mind tasks.”
Reading makes you a better person
We all can remember a book or two that left a lasting impression on our personality.
I grew up in a privileged house. Well, it wasn’t like a rich-rich situation where I got whatever I wanted. But it was a comfortable life. Meaning I never had to worry about bills and food.
We also had hired help for different chores. That made me a bit lax.
Once I read a novel in which the protagonist did her tasks herself. And that left a lasting change in me. Despite having other people who could do stuff for me, I started to take more responsibility for different tasks around the house.
“A good book makes you a better human.” — Dr. David Kaminskas (Neurologist)
Reading changes the essence of who we are. It literally changes the architecture of our brain.
Obviously, the kind of content you pick matters as well.
Reading keeps you young
Dementia and Alzheimer’s are gifts of old age.
I don’t think any of us wants to end up in a declined mental state.
The good news is that you can prevent your cognitive decline. The solution, I am sure you’ve guessed it by now, is to be a lifelong reader.
As one study concludes:
“Reading was protective of cognitive function in later life. Frequent reading activities were associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline for older adults at all levels of education in the long term.”
Even in people with low levels of education, reading activities improve cognitive function.
The bottom line…
Have you ever felt that readers and nonreaders are essentially different?
I feel I can point out who reads and who doesn’t in a fairly accurate way. There is just something about the readers that makes them stand out.
Whatever we have discussed above proves that reading books is a sure short way to reap thousands of benefits.
If you have children, I’d strongly recommend starting a home library today. This way you will be ensuring their lifelong success.
In case you have lost your relationship with books, don’t let it bother you. You can always start small. Reading a few pages each night is a good way to invite books back into your life.
And with that, I shall leave you to plan your next trip to the bookstore.
Happy reading!
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