If You Want To Live A Longer Life, Try Reading Books | The Odyssey Online
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If You Want To Live A Longer Life, It Won't Hurt To Get Into The Habit Of Reading Books

People who tend to read novels tend to live an additional two years as compared to non-readers.

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If You Want To Live A Longer Life, It Won't Hurt To Get Into The Habit Of Reading Books

I have always been a bookworm as longest I can remember and many of my friends have teased me on the topic frequently. Most people I interact with are more into watching movies and not really into reading in general. Reading is a fundamental aspect of our life and education because we learn by reading the newspaper, books, and almost anything readable. When you start reading a story, you tend to get immensely glued and even emotionally attached to it. From a neurobiological perspective, it can significantly increase metacognitive abilities and stimulate intense brain activity.

According to the 2016 study published in the journal "Social Science and Medicine," people who tend to read novels tend to live an additional two years as compared to non-readers. The researchers have also explicitly highlighted the fact that reading books will increase a person's longevity more as opposed to merely reading newspapers and magazines. This scientific discovery has amazed me to a huge extent because not any type of reading will enable a person to live a longer life. There is indeed a magical potion found in books which can sweep you off your feet and transport you to a whole new world.

Ever since I was little, my parents have read me fairy tales and several short stories before going to bed. After listening to them, I would start dreaming about the characters and their actions. The dreams would turn out to be down-to-earth and soulfully enriching. This helps explain the overarching X-factor of novels as opposed to any other literary device. Not only will getting into the habit of reading books increase your overall lifespan, but it will also pave the way towards becoming more erudite in the evolving world. For instance, researchers Dr. Becca R. Levy and her colleagues have asserted that, "Reading books provide a survival advantage due to the immersive nature that helps maintain cognitive status."

Ideally, reading stories will trigger advanced levels of emotional intelligence which will prepare people to learn the techniques required to live a fully enriching life thus increasing their longevity. While reading books, you never know when you may become an expert raconteur with your learned craft of bringing life into mundane events. Reading a myriad of stories will virtually transform you into the terrain of knowledge and some feisty mental interactions with the characters described.

Keep in mind that if you want to increase your lifespan, it is recommended that you start reading for as little as 30 minutes a day to stimulate advanced levels of analytical cognitive thinking!

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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