If you are among the 26 percent of people who did not read a book last year (according to PEW Research), you may be making a big mistake. This according to Inc. magazine, which references the PEW data in delivering a piece structured around why you
should not not read, called “Why Reading Books Should Be Your Priority, According to Science.” We second that emotion. From Inc.:
You’re not doing yourself any favors if you’re in the 26 percent of American adults who haven’t read even part of a book within the past year.
Among other things, says Inc., reading books will help you live longer:
That’s according to Yale researchers who studied 3,635 people older than 50 and found that those who read books for 30 minutes daily lived an average of 23 months longer than nonreaders or magazine readers. Apparently, the practice of reading books creates cognitive engagement that improves lots of things, including vocabulary, thinking skills, and concentration. It also can affect empathy, social perception, and emotional intelligence, the sum of which helps people stay on the planet longer.
Inc. has come up with other very good reasons. We know we’re preaching to the choir, but this news is important enough that we should all spread it around.
The Inc. piece is here.
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