Reading is one of the very first abilities that you earn, and one of the most indispensable skill. However, in this article we are not going to talk about the ability of reading, but about the pleasure that we find in reading. It is amazing how many people have this ability and how many do not use it in cultural and creative purposes.
Unfortunately, school does not promote reading as it should have, the little ones being obliged to read books that are not on their taste because they are not allowed to discover by themselves what kind of book they like. Due to this inappropriate starting, these kids are the adults that do not find any pleasure in reading a book.
How many books do the Romanians read?
In 2019, Romania was on the last place in Europe at buying books. According to Eurostat, 93,5% from Romanian people do not buy even one book/year, while only 16% declare that they read at least a book/month. Also, as we can observe, it should be done something about how the books are being promoted. Once with the social media development, reading has become a third option of a free time activity.
The benefits of reading
If you are reading this article, certainly you are interested in larger your passion for reading or even to start it. It is obviously that might be influenced by the people around you who are used to saying, you read because you want to look as an intellectual”. But as we all can say, that is a wrong point of view.
Besides that it is a cultural activity and it helps at gain knowledge and to develop your way of thinking, reading has a lot more benefits on your health-physical health and mental health. If we are to talk about physical health, scientists have confirmed that with the help of the RMN they found out that reading involves a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. As long as the ability of reading is growing up, those circuits become more and more sophisticated and strong. Even if it s not proved scientifically, reading books can prevent Alzheimer and it can help the old ones to improve their cognitive senses by reading something every day.
Mental health is a pretty debated topic, mostly during this pandemic. Quarantine has affected mentally a lot of people. But even the days before this pandemic were full of stress, thoughts of concern, bills and the list could be continued. Few people know though, what good effects might have the reading on these issues. Studies show that reading reduces the risk of depression by up to 28% and that just 6 minutes of reading reduce stress by 68%. Also, it has been discovered that reading helps us to become more empathic. Research says that people, who read fictional books, present a better ability to understand the feelings and beliefs of other people.
How do we get to the point when we enjoy reading?
First of all, you have to let aside the prejudice that we have talked about lately. If you want to read, red! Do not think even for a moment about what others might say about your books. Also it is perfectly fine do get inspired by the people around you and what they read. In fact, it is important to take every step to find what you are really passionate about. But first of all, it’s essential to figure out why you want to read. Some people like to read books that teach them new skills, from computer programming languages to hunting or camping skills. Other people enjoy narratives, be they fictional or biographical, to transport themselves to other times, worlds or situations.
Another important aspect is where you read. Find a quiet, well-lit and comfortable place. Constant distraction from the book in front of you can make it difficult to concentrate and no one likes to read the same passages again and again. Moreover, this will help you develop a reading routine. At the same time, you need to set a time to read. Even if you start with just ten minutes on a lunch break, twenty minutes on the bus or fifteen minutes before bed at night, that’s suddenly forty-five minutes.
The mentality you have must be the right one, not to be left with the thinking that was instilled in you in school. Reading is a privilege, not an obligation. We are so lucky that we have access to millions of books for the first time in history.
Reading is great, but it can also be a lonely activity. Everything happens in your head, in your imagination, in your emotions. Reading is not a common activity. The responsibility of knowing that you have a friend reading or a book club can often be the fire you need to finish any book you read.
The real secret to reading more is not quick reading. It’s not to set goals and put it on the to-do list. To read more, you need to fall in love reading. It is that simple, but overlooked. The same goes for any good habit. Reading is no exception.