Why Reading is Good For Your Health

When we think of our health, we generally think about what we eat, our need to exercise, and how to get enough sleep. I recently thought it would be interesting to research whether there were health  benefits to reading. You wouldn't necessarily think something so passive might be good for our overall health, but I found out it is.  Here are seven reasons why(ReadingGoodForHealth).

1. Stimulates Your Senses.
 Our brain's need for positive stimulation continues even after we become an adult.
Adults who read positive material can improve their self-confidence, which has a direct impact on physical health. Read a good book to stimulate your senses and keep yourself in good health.

2. Strengthens Your Memory
Studies indicate that a person’s memory weakens if it’s not used. Medical professionals recommend crossword puzzles as a method of exercising the memory muscles. Reading has the same effect. Since reading requires the reader to remember details, character names, and themes, it’s a good workout for our memory muscles.

3. Cope With Stress
With so many stressful situations to deal with daily, it’s important to find positive ways to deal and cope with stress. Reading gives you a way to relax and escape from everyday worries. Once you are relaxed, you can make better choices and cope better with stressful situations.

4. Have a Better Outlook on Life
Hope is an important factor in overcoming life’s obstacles, especially chronic illness. Reading inspirational books or other books with a positive message can help you cope with illness and enjoy a healthier outlook.

5. Learn About Life, including Health and Nutrition
Reading can help you educate yourself, especially about nutrition which can help you avoid health complications or improve health conditions you may already have. The way most people eat today is not always the healthiest way. Through reading, you can learn to make lifestyle changes that can affect your health, not only in the present, but also for years to come.

6. Choose the Best Treatment
Due to side effects associated with conventional medications, many are turning to alternative treatments. Alternative medicine includes many branches such as naturopathic, reflexology, acupuncture, and iridology. Although many claim to have treated conditions successfully using these types of treatments, reading is the only way to research them, and find out for yourself. In this respect, reading is good for your health, since it helps you choose the best treatment for nearly any medical condition.

7. Learn Problem-Solving Techniques
You may wonder how problem-solving techniques relate to health. Studies reveal that ongoing marital problems can lead to chronic health conditions such as strokes, heart attacks, and cancer. By reading, you can learn to react to situations positively and handle problems in the best possible way.

In conclusion, if you are a health conscious individual, you can now add reading to your list of ways to improve or maintain your health. Besides lifting weights to strengthen and tone our muscles, you can read to strengthen your memory muscles as well. Picking up a good book or magazine allows reading to help you stay in good health.