Dear America: Read More

Reading is something we are taught from a very young age, and nowadays it comes in many different forms. Now, you can read both paper books and on your phone through apps. 

Reading is not only a fun pastime, but it also provides many mental benefits. According to Legacy.geog.ucsb.edu, reading is a stress reducer.  A study conducted by the University of Sussex found that reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by 68%, according to Cae.edu. 

Cae.edu also stated that reading can help improve your sleep. Reading reduces stress, anxiety, and muscular tension, which allows you to unwind before bed. It is also much better for you than staring at the screen of your phone before attempting to fall asleep.

Another benefit of reading is vocabulary expansion. The more you read, the more you are exposed to new words that your brain logs for later use.

A third skill that reading supports is memory retention, according to Legacy.geog.ucsb.edu.  When reading, you are working the parts of your brain responsible for comprehension, analysis, and recall. Using these cognitive skills often reinforces the neural pathways in your brain, improving short and long-term memory, as stated by parsonshousecypress.com.

Different types of books stimulate different parts of your brain in different ways. According to parsonshousecypress.com, fiction novels help enhance your imagination, emotional intelligence, and creative thinking. They also improve your ability to process different emotions or scenarios. Non-fiction books, such as biographies, improve factual recall and analytical skills.

Another type of writing is poetry, which enhances language processing, word appreciation, and memorization. The final type of book is an emotional novel. This enriches the brain’s ability to comprehend things and think critically.

A final skill that reading aids is your focus and attention span. It engages your mind and forces you to tune out distractions.

Despite all of these mental benefits, people, especially children, are no longer reading. 

In a study done by the NIH, they found that from 2003 to 2023, the rate of reading for fun declined by 3% every year. This declining reading rate is affecting kids in schools and eventually their careers. According to The Atlantic, the NEAP released a report stating that 33% of eighth graders are reading at a level that are considered to be below basic. Also, 40% of fourth graders are reading at a below basic level.

This deficit in reading comprehension will make all future studies and other projects in their lives more difficult.

Overall, reading is an extremely important skill that provides so many personal benefits, and it should not be lost in our fast-paced, technology-oriented world.