ReadingDistractify.com recently published a list of reasons why reading a book is a life-changing experience. Here are my favorite ones!

1 . Reading a novel increases brain function for days.
Research from Emory University has found that reading a book can increase connectivity in the brain which makes neurological changes that act like muscle memory. Books not only put you in someone else’s shoes in a figurative sense, but also in a biological sense.

2 . Reading can help prevent Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Increased brain function is also useful for other things — various studies have shown that adults who engage in hobbies that stimulate the brain, such as reading, are less likely to have Alzheimer’s disease. The brain is an organ like any other and just as exercise strengthens the heart, reading strengthens the brain.

3 . Reading reduces stress.
Do you take a walk or listen to music to chill out? The University of Sussex thinks that you should consider reading instead. In tests, reading was the most effective way that participants were able to defeat stress, doing so in only six minutes.

4 . Reading can help you get better sleep.
Reading a book is one of the most effective ways to calm your mind and help you sleep. The bright lights of electronics have been found to signal to the brain that it’s time to wake up. Reading a book under a dim light has the opposite effect – putting your brain to rest.

5 . Reading makes you more attractive.
A study recently confirmed the belief that being (or appearing) smart makes you more attractive to others. In fact, it’s one of the sexiest traits in the eyes of a majority of women.

6 . People who read are more cultured and accepting.
A study by the National Endowment for the Arts found that those who read are more likely to engage with all forms culture. If you read, you’re also more likely to accept and participate in different cultures. Who doesn’t want to be more interesting?

7 . Regular readers have a better memory and are smarter.
Whenever you read a book, you create a new memory, and you exercise your brain. Whenever your brain is exercised, the organ creates new synapses which help keep your memory sharp — allowing for more information to be retained. That means that after getting through the Game of Thrones books, you’ll probably have the memory of seven elephants.

8 . Readers are more physically fit.
Reading nuts are more likely to exercise than those who don’t read on a regular basis. They spend far more time in the gym and when they do exercise, they do so for longer.

9 . Readers are more likely to improve the world they live in.
As well as improving your own life, being a reader can improve the lives of those around you. Active readers are three times as likely to do charity work and volunteer than those who don’t read on a regular basis. Reading offers a way to learn about those who are worse off than us, and it encourages us to lend a hand.

10 . Readers are more open-minded.
A study published in the Creativity Research Journal concluded that participants who had just read a short story had less need for “cognitive closure” and were more comfortable with ambiguity and alternate interpretations. In short, readers see that it’s okay to be uncertain about how the world works.

11 . Readers are better listeners.
Listening skills are vital in many aspects of life, from relationships to academia. Reading was found to increase listening skills by making it easier to absorb vocabulary and grammar. This was especially the case when words were spoken out loud instead of silently. Just make sure to avoid the library while putting this one into practice.

12 . Readers are more creative.
When educators at the Obafemi Awolowo University incorporated education-themed comics into primary school classrooms, they noticed that the mixture of words and pictures actually nurtured a healthy sense of creativity. This creativity proved vital in the children’s increased problem solving skills in the future.

13 . Parents and children who read together have better relationships.
Reading stories to young children is an intimate experience for both parties. Psychologists believe that it creates a special long-term bond, which beats watching television or any other alternative bonding experiences hands down.

14 . Readers are far more likely to be financially stable.
Among adults with the lowest level of reading skills, 43% live in poverty. Readers with the strongest literacy skills are far less likely to live in poverty, with only 4% living below the poverty line.

15 . Reading helps to rehabilitate criminals.
One study found that inmates who completed literacy courses behind bars were 30% less likely to commit crimes after release. In Brazil, some inmates are offered sentence reductions for reading books and writing reports.

Read the full list on Distractify.com!