Reading for Health

Reading has improved my health - my mental health, emotional health and physical health - of this I have no doubt and require no proof.

When I'm drowning in work, ten minutes spent walking and reading resets my brain. I immerse myself in someone else's life for a few minutes and it allows my brain to clear out the clutter. It cleans the cobwebs from my head so I can think more clearly.

When sadness or loneliness starts creeping into my spirit, I pick up a book and my mind forgets the reason for its sorrow as I travel through time to Victorian England. My heart cheers as it's dropped into the midst of a passionate love affair.  

In addition to the mental and emotional benefits of reading there is science that says it's good for our physical health.  It reduces stress which helps many physical ailments and the concentration required to read can improve memory.  There is even science that shows that when we create mental images of a story we're reading, we create new neural paths in our brain.

Reading helps me find peace in the chaos of life and is healthy for us on every level. Thank goodness for books!