Before I began my first job as a teenager, my summers were filled with reading.  Since both my parents love to read, it was natural for me to read as well.  Each summer I read about thirty books of considerable length.  High school and college were filled with working, church obligations, extra curricular activities, and reading assignments; therefore, I found an excuse not to read on my own.

Years passed, and I read minimally and sporadically.  This year, my goal was to read one book per month.  By March, I had already reached my goal for the entire year.

Recently when my husband and I went on vacation, we both brought books with us to read.  I was relaxing to sit and read for hours at a time!

In the age of computers, blogs, television, YouTube, Facebook, and endless other distractions, here are seven benefits of reading.

1.  Reading allows you to travel.

Realistically, you may not be able to travel to seven countries in one year, yet you can do that through reading. You can learn about each country’s history, language, culture, and traditions through reading.

2.  Reading relaxes you.

If you are on your phone or other electronic device within an hour of retiring for the night, you may not be able to fall asleep.  On the other hand, if you read before retiring for the night, you will fall asleep more easily.  Just make sure that you are reading a physical book and not an ebook.

3.  Reading is educational. 

You can learn history, geography, etiquette, cooking, and even foreign languages through reading.  You can also learn valuable lessons from biographies of people who made a difference in this world.

My favorite biography that I have read in a long time is Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon, wife of Charles H. Spurgeon by Rhodes Jr., Ray.  If you need a godly example in your life, read this powerful book!

4.  Reading helps memory. 

As you age, one concern is memory loss.  One of the ways to help avoid memory loss is through reading.  Keep your mind sharp by challenging it with interesting and educational reading material.

5.  Reading reduces stress.

We live in a very stressful time.  Our lives are fast-paced, and we are constantly bombarded with information via news and social media.  Take time to read and de-stress.  Yes, a vacation can help you de-stress, and you can take mini vacations by reading!

7.  Reading increase vocabulary.

Have you read a book that is over fifty years old?  You may need to have a dictionary nearby.

You may find value in the benefits of reading, yet how is it possible to find time to read?

First, prioritize it.  We all have the same amount of time per day.  When I catch myself wasting time, I do something productive instead, and often times that is reading.

Second, listen to audio books.  I have been able to utilize my cooking, cleaning, and driving time by listening to an audio book.  Some days my listening time a few hours just by turning on an audio book while I do routine work.

Third, read topics that interest you.  If you like biology, read biology.  If you love missions, read missionary biographies.  If a certain time in history intrigues you, read books about that time period.

What benefits of reading have you discovered for yourself?  If you have not been reading, which benefit from above motivates you to begin to read?

If you found value in this article, please use the buttons below to share it on social media.