Reading a book helps us to relax, reflect and discover new things

Reading a good book is an excellent way to reclaim some precious quiet time so that we can relax, take our mind off things and learn something new.

It is sadly true that reading books as a hobby has sharply declined over the years. A survey by Kantar data in 2019 revealed that only 53 per cent of UK adults had read a book in the previous year with 35 per cent identifying themselves as ‘heavy readers’ having read 10 or more books in the past year.

Statistics are even more concerning for children with only 25 per cent reading books for pleasure every day. According to Alison David, a consumer research expert at Farshore, reading for pleasure is linked to higher attainment which has proven to be more influential on a child's future success than their family's background, including where the child was born, their parents' education and their parents' income.

It is true that when we get out of the habit of reading long-form, it becomes harder to concentrate and develop our critical thinking skills in a natural and organic way. Too many rely on search engines to find inspiration and answers that may very well be at best biased and inaccurate, and at worst, dangerous to our health and wellbeing. Reading with purpose has unfortunately become a chore that many people feel they don't have time for or worse still, have no interest in at all. 

This is why I wanted to share the extraordinary benefits that reading books can bring, not only for our general health and cognitive development but also in helping us to find our own truth and make up our own minds about things in life that are important to us.

Here are some of the most compelling reasons to get into the habit of reading books:

1) Mental stimulation

Reading helps us to absorb new knowledge and reflect on things so that we can put things into context. This in turn stimulates our memory and leads to improved analytical and critical thinking.

2) Mental focus

Reading helps us to focus and concentrate on things for longer periods of time in a restful and relaxing way. We can only think about one thing at a time which is why reading helps to reduce anxiety, freeing us from troublesome thoughts that we might otherwise not be consciously aware of.

3) Improved sleep

Reading a bedtime story is not only hugely beneficial for children in helping them to drop off to sleep, it's equally good for grown-ups too. I am forever grateful to my late Dad for taking the time to do this for me throughout my childhood. It instilled a passion for books that has lasted a lifetime. Reading ourselves to sleep helps us to wind down properly and drift off to slumberland rather than having our minds jangled by the blue light of device screens. This is known to suppress the production of melatonin, making it difficult for many people to turn off their brains and fall into deeply restorative slumber. 

4) Increased confidence

Reading not only greatly increases our personal knowledge, it also helps to improve fluency in writing and presentation skills. The saying goes that you can't be a successful writer if you are not prepared to read - and read a lot. This is because well-written books and long-form writings provide us with an endless reservoir of inspiration and new ideas. This in turn helps us to challenge our opinions and perspectives, opening our eyes to situations we may not have been previously familiar with and building our confidence when it comes to expressing our opinions and working more creatively.

5) Improved understanding

Reading is one of the best ways to learn about other people and situations, especially those we may not have personally experienced. Reading other people's stories gives us access to different points of view which helps us to develop empathy and become more open-minded. This has become ever more crucial if we are to become less divided and want to be able to cooperate more with each other.

I could come up with more benefits but I think there is enough here to present a positive argument for reading books and long-form writings. Suffice to say, the next thing to consider is 'what' to read with so many hundreds of thousands of books, articles, papers and guides to choose from. This can be tricky when the usual 'go-to' internet search or commercial 'best seller' lists come into question.

Finding books to read

Apart from word of mouth suggestions from people you know and trust, I would recommend checking out reader-based platforms such as Goodreads where people share what they have read, what they are reading and what they would like to read. Reviews are less likely to be biased towards any kind of 'hidden agenda' and you can connect with people (and authors) who read (and write) the kind of books you might like to read on subjects you might be interested in.

If you love Nature, Spirituality and Natural Health, my Spiral Leaf Bookshop might be the place to go. Reading about Nature is a brilliant way to connect with the natural world which we know is so good for us. This is true especially if you are house-bound or unable to explore the outdoors as much as you would like to. 

Reading list and review template

I hope you will feel inspired to pick up a book or two in 2023 so that you can experience all the benefits it can bring. I have created a FREE download (below) where you can list the books you would like to read and note down any thoughts and observations that might be helpful on the accompanying book review summary page.

Happy book hunting!

Sue Cartwright

Spiral Leaf

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Visit the Spiral Leaf online bookshop for recommended books about Nature, Wildlife, Paths & Places, Natural Health, Spiritual Awareness and Human Nature with a great Reference section and Reading List for Nature lovers and explorers.

Spiral Leaf Bookshop

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