How Reading Makes You Smarter, Healthier, and Happier

From Global English Editing: Good news for booklovers: your reading habit will help you live a longer, healthier, happier life.

How? Here’s one example: Studies have demonstrated that reading can stave off Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, and other forms of cognitive decline as you grow older. Readers are 2.5 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

After all, we may take it for granted, but reading requires the use of some pretty complex intellectual skills. As we read, we have to remember characters and keep track of plotlines. We create new memories, enter into new worlds, and consider different perspectives. It’s no surprise that reading keeps the mind sharp!

Plus, deep, focused reading boosts emotional intelligence. Every character in a novel provides a window into another point of view. Reading books by and about a wide variety of people gives you a richer understanding of the world, illuminating the complex tapestry of emotions, motivations, and interests that comprise human existence.

Check out the infographic below from Global English Editing to discover how reading keeps you healthy in both mind and body. It turns out that Game of Thrones’ Tyrion Lannister was spot on when he said, “My mind is my weapon…And a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”