As part of mental health awareness week and a registered
Mental Health First Aider myself, I thought I’d look for an article that proves
the positive benefits of reading a good book from time to time. This is a great
article From MHFA England. Here are eight great benefits to your mental health
when reading:
1. Reading is pleasurable
When you start to read a really good book it is often hard
to put it down, the story captivates you and time disappears as you become absorbed.
When you reach the end, you are so eager to get the next book in the series,
perhaps look up other books the author may have published before. It’s a
magical feeling.
2. Reading can reduce stress
Losing yourself in a good book has been shown to reduce your levels of stress.
Research has previously shown that reading as little as six minutes a day
can reduce stress levels by 60%. Your heart reduces which eases muscle tension
and altering your state of mind. It is also believed that reading is better at
reducing stress than music, drinking a cup of tea, going for a walk and playing
video games.
3. Reading can provide an escape from the 'real world'
Closely linked to reducing stress levels when you read is
the ability to escape from the real world. I did this all the time as a child
and I continued it into my adult hood, which gave me the imagination to write
my own fantasy stories as a way of escape. Becoming immersed in that world helps
me to forget my worries and reduces my anxiety. Research has shown that escapism is
more complex than just reading for light-hearted entertainment, but it did show
that people found the process transformative changing the way people interact
with the world and others.
4. Reading helps you develop empathy for others
People who read fiction have been shown to improve their
level of empathy, the ability to understand someone else’s beliefs, feelings
and thoughts. This is known as the theory of mind.
A study showed that people exposed to fiction predicted the results of an
empathy task and that empathy was temporarily enhanced after reading fiction.
5. Reading works your brain and prevents memory loss
Participating in cognitive activities, such as reading over
your life time (both early and later in life) has shown to slow down memory
loss when compared to those who didn’t participate in mentally stimulating
activities. The same study also
found that the rate of mental decline was reduced by 32% when people
participated in reading, writing and other activities later on in life. While
those with infrequent stimulating activity found that their decline was 48%
faster than those with average activity.
6. Reading groups help to treat mental health issues
My default for when I’m feeling low is to read or write
stories but there is scientific research that shows that reading and then talking
about what you have read could be beneficial to mental health and well-being.
There is something called bibliotherapy and it has a profound effect on people
suffering with depression. Liverpool Health Inequalities Research Institute
examined a two weekly reading group program for people diagnosed with
depression over a 12-month period and reported a significant improvement to
mental health. Participants reported improved concentration, better emotional
understanding, increased self-awareness, and the ability to discuss meaningful
issues related to self and being.
7. Reading helps teenagers develop insights into being an
adult
Becoming an adult can be tricky – a lot of things change
during this time and exploring self-identity is crucial. I remember
reading as a teenager a book called Changing Times by Tim Kennemore and Z for
Zachariah in particular, which dealt with hard hitting issues for the teenage protagonists
in both books whilst set in a Sci-fi/Fantasy genre. I remember the books that resonate
with me the most and helped me to understand the confusing world and transition
from child to adult. MHFA said ‘Research has
shown that reading for pleasure in teenagers has three key benefits, reading
was shown to enhance academic performance, social engagement and personal
development. Fiction helped teens by providing significant insights into mature
relationships, personal values and cultural identity all of which are important
in the transition from being a child to becoming an adult.’
8. Reading can make you smarter
Reading books helps us to learn new things, experience
different cultures, understand ourselves better and research has shown
that reading does in fact make us smarter. Cognitive differences have been seen
between those who read a lot and those who read a little. People who are
exposed to more written information are associated with higher vocabulary,
general knowledge, and verbal skills.
If you are looking to reduce your stress, educate yourself,
become more empathetic and even smarter than you currently are then the Mental
Health Book Club Podcast currently has reviews and recommendations on over 20
fiction and non-fiction books portraying mental health issues. Here’s the link
to the MHBC podcast looking
at books, media and speaking to people who think mental health is important
identifying books that represent people in a positive and realistic way
supporting the mental health community.
Or if you simply want to get lost in your imagination for a
while try my fictional books The Beyond and The Mancunian Tales. Click on the
links here. The Mancunian Tales The Beyond Series of books
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