Coming up this Saturday, the 2nd of October it’s National Bookshop Day! There are a myriad of reasons you should head to your local book shop and pick up some new reading material but here are some of the best examples of why you should be reading something new every single day

1. Reading strengthens your brain – A growing body of research indicates that reading literally changes your mind. Using MRI scans, researchers have confirmed that reading involves a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. As your reading ability matures, those networks also get stronger and more sophisticated.
2. Builds your vocabulary – Reading researchers as far back as the 1960s have discussed what’s known as “the Matthew effect,” a term that refers to biblical verse Matthew 13:12: “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
3. Reduces stress – In 2009, a group of researchers measured the effects of yoga, humour, and reading on the stress levels of students in demanding health science programs in the United States. The study found that 30 minutes of reading lowered blood pressure, heart rate, and feelings of psychological distress just as effectively as yoga and humour did.
4. Prepares you for a good night’s rest – Doctors at the Mayo Clinic suggest reading as part of a regular sleep routine. For best results,  choose a print book rather than reading on a screen, since the light emitted by your device could keep you awake and lead to other unwanted health outcomes.
5. Helps alleviate depression symptoms – British philosopher Sir Roger Scruton once wrote, “Consolation from imaginary things is not an imaginary consolation.” People with depression often feel isolated and estranged from everyone else. And that’s a feeling books can sometimes lessen.

Where to read your Book?

A book is best read in natural light if possible, and in a relaxing environment away from distractions. May I suggest you should be reading in your Log Cabin or BBQ Hut. Put some logs on the fire and sit back to enjoy the solitude, just you and your book….

…and they lived happily ever after.

THE END