Boost Your Mental Health With Reading
Reading is good for your brain

Mental health can affect the way we think, feel, and act. Though there are many ways to improve our mental, reading is inexpensive and can not only improve your mental wellness but your overall quality of life. Reading for pleasure can increase your self-esteem, reduce symptoms of depression, and exercise your brain and make it stronger. So no matter what has you feeling down, take the steps to create a life long healthy habit to help out your mental health. Here are some ways that reading can boost your mental health.

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Reading self-help books can help depression

Self-help books explain the information in a way that’s easy to understanding and help people feel less alone in their struggles. It reduces the stigma by addressing myths of mental illness so that people don’t feel ashamed about their illness. Most importantly they show that there is hope. When a self-help book details someone’s personal story it shows that you can move through depression successfully.

Helps you sleep better

Reading helps you wind down and relax. This is because when your reading your mind is distracted from daily stresses and worries. Books give your mind the option to be somewhere else for a while. So creating a bedtime routine where you read a few chapters from a book, not an e-reader will help you sleep better. E-readers like kindles, nooks, or iPads have a bright screen that keeps your more brain awake and makes it harder for you to fall asleep. So what swap your smartphone, TV, or laptop for a book and relax before bedtime.

Boost your Memory

Reading exercises and enhances the memory muscle in your brain. Because when your reading you’re forced to be alert, remember small details, pay attention, and follow a string of word for hours at a time. So give your memory a boost by reading daily so you stop forgetting where you put your keys.

Makes Your brain stronger & fights Alzheimer’s Disease

As we age, our brains slow down. And the cognitive task we may have once found easy become more challenging. Keeping your mind active and working is the best way to keep your mind strong and active. So if your reading at least an hour every day you are reducing the chance of developing Alzheimer’s.

Makes you more empathetic towards others

Being able to empathize with others and understand difficult emotions is an important skill to have. As we read we relate and learn with the characters, which helps us understand the different ways of life. Encourage children to read at a young age so they can grow to understand the world and the people around them healthily and positively.

Reading makes you smarter

Reading helps your brain grow. It introduces you to new words which grow your vocabulary. And with a larger vocabulary the more words you have available to use in everyday conversation. It boosts your analytical and critical thinking skills. And as a result, you have greater general knowledge and can spot patterns easier. It also increases your ability to focus, so boost your brain by reading daily.

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Angela Louise
Written by Angela Louise
Angela is the owner and chief content creator for Weird Louise and is working towards becoming a full-time blogger. In addition to blogging here on Weird Louise, she is an artist and owner of the Social Awkward Club. She also has a passion for helping others discover ways to live their best lives.