Holding a brand-new book in your hands and turning it over to feel it’s smooth, flawless cover has to be one of the biggest, yet simplest pleasures in life. In between the pages there are exciting new worlds to explore, adventures to be had and a whole new cast of characters to meet. A new book has the power to transform your thinking, expand your world view, develop your knowledge and touch your soul: it’s full of possibilities.
Whether you prefer fiction or non-fiction books reading doesn’t just entertain and inform us, it boosts our health and wellbeing in countless ways. At a physiological level when we read we build vital connections in our brain which help to improve brain function, memory, focus and attention span. Like any muscle, the more we use it the stronger it gets and in a world where we are struggling with competing priorities and the overwhelm of multi-tasking it’s more vital than ever to make space for the things that can give us the increased brain power we need: reading is one of those things. Over time we create new neural pathways and networks through reading which help us process information more effectively and increase our learning potential. It’s one of the many reasons it’s so important to get children reading as early as possible and it’s why, as we age, we are encouraged to keep reading as much as we can for brain health.
Reading also has the power to boost our mental health and lift our spirits with the feel-good factor which comes from blocking out distractions and immersing ourselves in a single task. When we’re in that zone our stress levels start to drop along with our blood pressure and our heart rate until we’re in a more relaxed state; it’s why so many of us nod off mid-way through a chapter and it’s also why bibliotherapy is often used as a structured therapeutic approach to improving mental and emotional wellbeing.
Aside from the immeasurable health benefits associated with reading, and the vital role it plays in expanding our knowledge and wisdom, it opens our imagination and allows us to develop our creativity as we transform words on a page into images in our head. We visualise what we read and when we engage our imagination in this way it can spark ideas, build vision and help us make connections into other areas of our lives. Our imagination lets us escape into different times and places as we explore new worlds and spend time with new people; it’s magical.
Making time for reading is one of the biggest things we can do for ourselves to support our health and wellbeing and it’s also a gift we can easily extend to others through the sharing and giving of books. There is much to be said for the Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod (Christmas book flood) where books are exchanged on Christmas Eve and enjoyed in full hygge style with a mug of hot chocolate, the warmth of a good fire and the joy of reading with others.
Books bring people together in schools, in homes, in workplaces and in book groups across the world. It’s in the sharing and discussion of stories, knowledge and facts that we can grow together, connect with each other and enrich ourselves as a society. For that reason, and to celebrate the sheer joy of books, there’s a Reading Room here where you can explore some of the books which have inspired me and some of the amazing women in my life who all know the power of a good book. So put the kettle on, settle back and get ready for whatever adventure lies within those crisp new pages.
