READThe Hidden Benefits of Reading:

Why Your Parents Might Have Been Right About Picking Up A Book

When was the last time you read a book?

For most of us, we’d much rather scroll through Instagram, watch YouTube or listen to music than read.

But we might be missing out! Turns out that reading not only improves your academic performance, but also your mental health – who knew?! Below are some benefits of reading that may just convince you to make it a habit!

It Improves Your Grades

Want an easy way to improve your grades? Read a book! People who read regularly have a wider vocabulary, are better writers, and generally perform better in all their subjects. Pretty obvious when you think about it right?  No wonder our parents and all our teachers kept telling us to read. They just wanted us to be smarter (at least that’s what we’re telling ourselves!)

It Reduces Stress

Technology is such a part of our lives that sometimes it can be nice to switch off and get lost in a good story instead. If you’re having a rough day, reading is proven to reduce stress by distracting you and keeping you present in the moment. It’s almost impossible to read while concentrating on anything else, so it’s a good way to force yourself to totally chill out. Plus you won’t have to look at a single selfie or ab workout – unless you’re reading KKW’s ‘Selfish’…

It’s Cheap and Accessible

If you’re looking for a way to pass the time that won’t break the bank, reading is for you. If you don’t want to spend money buying books, joining a library is totally free and means you will have access to all the books you could ever want – and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, most libraries can order it in for you at no cost. Plus they also offer free wifi and group study spaces so it’s worth signing up as a member before exams if you’re looking for a quiet place to work.

It Helps You Sleep

For those of you that do try to make a habit of reading before bed, you may find that you sleep a lot better than your phone scrolling friends. We’ve all been told that turning off screens half an hour before you want to go to sleep helps reduce the negative impact they can have, but another benefit is that it gives you thirty minutes of quality reading time – so there’s no excuse!

We’re not saying you have to become a total bookworm, but swapping a screen for a quality page turner every now and again could make a huge difference. If you’re struggling, start with a few pages of a little series called Harry Potter…we hear it’s pretty good. Or check out Time Magazine’s list of the 100 Best Young-Adult Books of all time for ultimate reading inspo.

What’s your opinion? Do you think your parents may be right when they tell you to pick up a book? Share your thoughts in the comments…