Right from childhood, many of us have been taught about that reading is very important, and perhaps one of the best hobbies we could have. That said, you may often wonder- how exactly does reading help, and precisely how it helps change the brain. Well, here are some ways reading changes your brain.
7 Ways Reading Changes your Brain
#1 Expands Attention Span
If you’re someone who has trouble paying attention to things and focusing on specific tasks, reading can really help. Many neuroscientists also believe that reading helps us be more patient, take time to process information and think linearly.
#2 Rewires the Brain
Several studies have proven that reading can alter the brain tissue in positive ways- infact, physically rewire itself to be precise. The brain was also found to create more white matter, which explains why children who had reading deficits noticed an improvement in their condition after reading often.
#3 Improves Visualization
Reading is also believed to help improve your brain’s ability to visualize and think in pictures. This doesn’t just give your imagination a nice boost, but also makes you a more creative person and you’ll have better clarity over things that you think. For students in particular, this can also help them understand concepts in a much clear way, and help them feel more connected to the information that they are trying to retain.
#4 Increases Working Memory
Some scientists believe that reading is life a workout for the brain, and a pretty good one at that. Considering the fact that reading is a neurobiologically challenging activity, doing it often can improve memory- your ability to retain information and increase your brain’s capacity to absorb new information as well.
#5 Boosts Compassion
Reading, particularly fiction, has been found to make you more compassionate. But how does reading make you a compassionate person- you might be wondering. Well, that’s because reading stories automatically gets your brain to put yourself in the other person’s shoes, which in turn, helps you be more compassionate.
#6 Makes you Empathetic
Empathy is one of the most important values one could have today, and the world needs more of such people. And guess what? Reading can actually help you develop that very quality. Several studies have confirmed that individuals who read more books had a better ability to put themselves in other people’s shoes and feel what they feel aka empathy!
#7 Heightens Brain Connectivity
You may have heard of many readers saying “This book changed my life,” but may be wondering how far can a book change you, let alone your life? It turns out, reading books can cause a series of changes that improve the brain’s connectivity to itself and different parts of the body, which in turn, changes the way you think, behave and so much more.
I don’t really need any excuses to read more books. But I managed to find very valid ones and thought I must share them with you!
PS: Check out my book choices on my Amazon Store!
Interesting post. Going to share this will all my little cousins who don’t read! 😛
Glad you found it so, Deboshree. I think parents must take the lead in encouraging their children to read.
Agreed!
I have excatly seen how reading can change a brain. I had stopped reading some years back … i became gloomy and dumb but then when I picked up a book, i could feel the difference. Reading helps immensely.
I know just what you mean, Shubhra. I had that experience too and I realized I had stopped reading because of cataracts in both eyes. Post surgeries, I more than made up for the year long gap! 🙂
Gosh! Never thought about how I’d unknowingly enhanced some of my traits by simply being addicted to reading! I do wish more of gen-next was bitten by the reading bug.
Thank you for sharing this: numbers 5 and 6 are so much more needed in our world today!