Getting lost in a book is good for you! A good book is the fastest way to transport yourself to a new adventure without leaving your favorite chair. Getting lost in a book is good for you! A good book is the fastest way to transport yourself to a new adventure without leaving your favorite chair.
I just read an nbcnews.com article by Sarah DiGiulio that describes the many ways losing yourself in a great book is good for us, and the research that backs up that claim.
It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, a speed-reader, or more likely to read just a couple pages a day – psychologists say that your time is well spent.
If you’re thinking, “I used to read a lot…” or “I just don’t have the time…”, let’s look at a few good reasons to give it another try.
For the record, these findings are based on reading fiction.
One of the obvious reasons might be that it simply provides enjoyment and pleasure. Melanie Green, PhD, University at Buffalo tells us, “It can provide an escape from boredom or stress.” Reading has also helps us to better understand and interact with other people, keeping our brains sharp, and expanding our world views. Green goes on to say, “Stories allow us to feel connected with others and part of something bigger than ourselves.”
Here are some other things that happen to us when we get lost in a novel. According to Keith Oatley, PhD, University of Toronto, reading makes us think and feel in new and different ways. “You give up some of your own habits and thoughts, and you take on your own idea of being a different person in circumstances that you might otherwise never have been in.”
According to Green, reading also gives us a sense of belonging that we all instinctively want as human beings. Other researchers at Boston University conducted an experiment with 140 undergraduate students to consider whether reading actually satisfies the need for human connection. They found that students reported becoming connected to the characters’ worlds, and finding the same feelings of satisfaction and happiness that we get from real-world interactions (that is not to suggest we give up our real-world interactions!).
Reading has always been one of my favorite ways to spend time. It is definitely a stress-reducer for me. If time allows, I could spend a whole day reading. My husband and I recently spent a week up north, and I read four books – that, for me, is a perfect vacation. And I’ve been stretched in the last year, by some of my favorite people, to read books in some new genres.
My sister recommended a book from the perspective of a young woman in the Soviet Union during World War II. Following that I read four books from perspectives of women from different countries in the same period. Each was fascinating, and I also learned so much about that time in history. My oldest granddaughter made me promise to read the Harry Potter series. I devoured it. The best part of that was getting to share plots and characters with her. My son urged me to read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series. Wow!
I did get lost in each of those books. I found myself rooting for certain characters and picturing different scenes. What a wonderful way to transport yourself to new places, meet new people, and stretch your own thoughts, beliefs and opinions.
Where will you go?