Any bookworm will tell you that reading a book is a pleasant distraction from the stresses of daily living, a chance to relax and lose yourself to the characters and plot of a page-turning mystery thriller or swoon-worthy romance. Few people realize that both your mind and body benefit when this favorite pastime becomes a regular part of your routine.
Reading regularly sharpens memory and focus, challenges analytical thinking, and even delays our cognitive decline.
Full-brain workout
“Experts describe reading a book as a full-brain workout,” says Cymbeline Perez-Santiago, MD, Neurologist and Head of the Neurology Unit of top hospital in the Philippines, Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed).
“In a study conducted in 2020, researchers noted that increased gray matter in the left superior temporal cortex part of the brain, which is crucial to cognitive function, is linked to better reading performance among children. For the older generation, keeping the mind engaged through book reading delays cognitive decline and positively impacts physical and mental health.”
A 2017 survey that tracked over 3,000 adults in a 12-year period discovered that those who specifically read books had a 20 percent reduction in mortality. In a study conducted by Yale, people added an average of 23 months to their lifespan when they read 30 minutes a day.
“Reading, of course, broadens one’s vocabulary and knowledge, which proves helpful in entrance exams, job opportunities, and life in general,” adds Dr. Perez-Santiago. “Moreover, it develops one’s ability to empathize—to put oneself in other people’s shoes. Experts call this ‘theory of mind,’ or skills needed to build, navigate, and maintain social relationships.”
Why books?
What is it about a book that makes our mind work differently? Reading words (as opposed to looking at pictures or watching a video) prompts us to use our imagination to supply the imagery that corresponds with the sentences.
“Books, particularly long-form content, train us to focus and pay attention at a time when the digital world’s fast-paced, short-form content has reduced our attention span,” explains Dr. Perez-Santiago. “Reading books also strengthens memory, challenges your analytical thinking, and makes you a better writer.”
But who has the time to pick up a book these days? In a national readership survey commissioned by the National Book Development Board in 2023, the number of Filipino adults who read non-school books in the past 12 months was 42 percent—a major plunge from the 80 percent who read books in 2017.
“The trick,” Dr. Perez-Santiago points out, “is to make it an enjoyable experience, something to look forward to.”
Start by always having a book on hand. Keep a book in your car, your bag, or your desk drawer at work. “When you’re waiting in the bank, at a doctor’s appointment, or for a friend to arrive for a meeting, pass the time away by getting in a few pages,” says Dr. Perez-Santiago.
Set doable goals. Does the sight of a thick pocketbook intimidate you? Pick a quick read or go for an anthology of short stories. “They can help you build your attention span and ability to focus as you work your way to reading longer stories,” Dr. Perez-Santiago recommends. “Also, there are no rules that you should finish a book in a week, or that you should finish one book before starting another. Read several books all at once and go at your own pace. As proven by studies, even a few minutes of reading can do wonders for your health.”
For more information, please contact MakatiMed On-Call at +632.88888 999, email [email protected], or visit www.makatimed.net.ph. Follow @IamMakatiMed on Facebook and Twitter.
