Did you know that getting lost in a good book can help keep you healthy?

In a recent article from the Daily Mail, Neuroscientist Baroness Susan Greenfield says:

‘…reading helps to lengthen attention spans in children and improves their ability to think clearly.

‘Stories have a beginning, a middle and an end – a structure that  encourages our brains to think in sequence, to link cause, effect and significance,’  she says.

‘It is essential to learn this skill as a small child, while the brain has more plasticity, which is why it’s so important for parents to read to their children…’

The article also refers to a recent study carried out at the University of Michigan which found that there has been a sharp decline in empathy among college/university-aged students over the last ten years, which also happen to be the most technology-dependent years.

Another study from the University of Sussex in 2009 found that as little as six minutes of reading could reduce stress levels more than listening to music or going for a walk.

And last but not least:

A study, just published in the Archives of Neurology, from  the University of California, Berkeley, found that engaging in brain-stimulating pursuits including reading on a daily basis – from a young age – could help prevent Alzheimer’s by inhibiting the formation of the amyloid (protein) plaques which are found in the brains of those with the disease.

Read more of this article over on the Daily Mail website by following the link below: 

Getting lost in a good book can help keep you healthy

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