Over the past twelve months, most people have had a lot more free time on their hands. Some people have used this extra leisure time to bake cakes, get fit, or try their hand at gardening and DIY. But others have turned their attention to more cerebral pursuits and strived to recapture their love of reading.

Most people wish they had the time to read more books, but in the modern world, other things just get in the way. After a busy day working in the office or looking after your family, sometimes you just can’t summon the mental energy to focus on a book. There are so many easy tantalising distractions in life, such as smartphones, Netflix, and social media, that it takes a lot of willpower to pick up a novel and sit down to read.

But there has never been a better time to start making your way through your to-read list, and once you get started you will see enormous benefits to multiple areas of your life. To give you the motivation you need, here are four great ways that reading can improve your life.

It boosts your brainpower

Reading a book requires a great deal more brain power than watching TV or spending time on your phone. Your mind has to focus to process the words and visualise their meaning, which is why you may often feel tired after a long session with a complicated book. The more you read, the more your brain matures, and several studies have shown that it can boost your memory and prevent cognitive decline in older age. This means that with every word you read, you are literally getting smarter.

It aids sleep

How do you spend your evenings before going to bed? If your nighttime ritual involves watching television, working on your laptop, or scrolling through Instagram then you’re not doing yourself any favours. These devices emit a harsh blue light that keeps your brain wired and makes sleep much more difficult. Reading a book, on the other hand, doesn’t involve any technology and can even help to send you to sleep.

It teaches you new skills

There are countless millions of books in existence, meaning that you can find something on any topic you are interested in, no matter how obscure. Reading is a fantastic way to learn new practical skills that can help you in all aspects of your life, whether you want to learn how to cook, do your own hot water repairs, or advance in your career.

It improves your language

Even if you just read gripping adventure novels or breezy romantic fiction for pure enjoyment, there is a huge amount of self-improvement going on behind the scenes. When reading, you are constantly grappling with words and grammatical constructs, and this exposure helps to boost your vocabulary and make you more articulate. This will help you in both personal and professional settings, as you are better equipped to express meaning and get your point across more efficiently.

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