6 Reasons To Read More Every Day

If you're reading this at all, chances are you like to read. You might be a casual reader, a die-hard bookworm, or somewhere in between, but one thing is for certain: books are your friends. And more than that, the people inside books are some of your favorite people to be around. You know that reading for pleasure is one of the best hobbies around, and you're not afraid to let people know it.

But reading is so much more than just the best way to pass some time (even though it is the best way). There are always scientific reasons explaining exactly why reading is good for you. Hey, a recent study found that kids who read Harry Potter growing up grew up to be more tolerant than those who did not! Ten points for Team Books.

Reading before bed will help you sleep better, picking up a book and reading helps you relax and feel more connected to the world around you — all without leaving your house. That's not to mention all the amazing adventures book can take you on! So, next time you or someone you know is looking for an excuse to spend an extra hour with your nose in a book, here are six amazing reasons to do it!

It's Relaxing

Lots of people think that because you're reading, you're also doing hard work. It's true you can be, but if you pick up an amazing story, chances are you'll get so drawn into the world it creates, the rest of life just slips away. You can lose yourself in someone else's life, face someone else's problems, and relax and unwind from your own day for a while. After all, when people recommend "R&R" they mean "Relax and Read," right? Right?

Reading At Night Will Help You Sleep

We look at our phones and screens all day long. They keep us wired at all times, forever ready tor respond to, well, anything. But recent studies have shown that staring at your phone screen right before bed will keep you up at night. The blue light tells your brain it's time to get up, when in fact, you want just the opposite to happen. Next time you find yourself reaching for your phone for a quick peek at Twitter right before bed, grab a book, and you might just be out like a light. (Or up all night to finish the book, but, that's a problem for another time.)

Reading Teaches Empathy

Reading might be a great way to pass some time, but it's also an amazing way to put yourself in someone else's shoes. A recent study revealed that reading to children teaches them to feel empathy, and helps them better understand emotions: their own, and the emotions of others. Adults can use a refresher on empathy every now and then, too, and what better way to find it than through books?

It Will Help You Feel Like A Part Of Something

"We read to know we are not alone" is a quote by C.S. Lewis that has been passed around again and again for years, but that doesn't make it any less true. Reading helps people feel less along, like their feelings are valid, and it gives them a voice they might not have known they had. We're getting back to that empathy thing again, too.

Books Can Take You Anywhere

No, really. Anywhere. Out of the country, to the moon, to Mars, and back again. Anywhere in time, even. I'm not saying books are a real-life Tardis... but they are bigger on the inside, so I can't rule it out just yet. So, you might not be able to escape your bad day, or your job, but you can certainly grab a book, and leave it all behind, at least for a little while!

Reading Expands Your Horizons

You don't have to stop learning just because you leave school. Graduation just means more free time to learn the things that interest you. Books can teach you something new everyday, and it doesn't even have to be nonfiction! Reading a fictional account of a real event or person might spark your interest in a biography, or a nonfiction book, or a collection of essays. The possibilities are endless, which is kind of the best part.

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