Let’s Chat: Reading is your health

By Linda Tooth on August 6, 2024.

Like many people these last few weeks, I am struggling to understand how life can be so cruel when it comes to the senseless and horrific acts of violence committed by people against some of the most innocent people in this world, and that is children.

I know that crimes against children is a worldwide epidemic. Whether it is child brides, human trafficking of children, or murdering of young girls at a dance party in England, violence is everywhere. It can be so overwhelming that I have had to once again put self-care into place for myself as my heart feels heavy and sad.

When I started searching for some ideas on self-care one of the first things that popped up was reading. I love to read and have a small library at home and work. Of course, this is the answer I was seeking.

Reading allows me to escape the reality of our world and find some peace in another world. Medium.com believes reading is a form of self-care and here are some of their reasons to help support that claim.

Reading promotes empathy. Researchers believe that those who read a lot have more empathy toward other people. We can certainly use a more empathetic world.

Reading helps to promote a decline in Alzheimer’s or dementia. I know of people who have suffered from those diseases and it is not pleasant to watch.

Also, I cannot imagine living with it. Reading is a great way to relieve stress. Check that box for me. I can find time to read early in the morning, on my lunch break, in the evening, or before I go to bed.

Reading helps to reduce depression. I feel that post-COVID we are all experiencing times when we get depressed. Pick up a book, it can help.

They also suggest that reading helps with sleep hygiene. I must admit, I am intrigued by the idea of sleep hygiene. When you read it helps to bring a sense of calmness to your mind and body.

I know there have been many times when I am very agitated and cannot seem to settle my mind. I will start reading at that time to help create a sense of calm.

The last point is that reading can help lengthen your time of this earth. A research paper titled The Survival Advantage of Reading Books published in 2017 states that those who read books have a 20-per cent reduction in the risk of death over the 12 years immediately following the study.

That sounds like good odds to me.

Stay tuned for an update on books I am reading this month, as well as a health update for my partner after our upcoming visit to another doctor in Calgary in a few weeks.

“When things get really dark and times are really hard, stories give us places we can go where we can rest and feel held”