The “novel” trick for health and happiness!
A slew of new studies reveals that reading fiction isn’t just good fun—it’s also good for you, doing everything from lengthening your life to sharpening your social skills to improving your memory! Read on to learn all of the benefits that reading has to
1 Stave off Alzheimer’s with Pride and Prejudice!
A new Stanford study reveals that Jane Austen’s timeless tales stimulate regions in your brain responsible for language and imagery, as well as sense and movement. That means that when an Austen heroine, for example, smells a rose, sensory cells light up in your brain as if you’ve smelled a rose. Or when she rides a horse, neurons responsible for movement in your legs light up—vicarious experiences that deliver powerful brain boosts, which scientists believe help prevent Alzheimer’s disease! ✤ Similarly engrossing reads: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards.
2 Melt stress with The Girl on the Train!
Just starting a gripping psychological thriller like this bestseller helps calm frazzled nerves by shifting your attention from whatever’s bugging or worrying you to the puzzle on the pages in front of you. As British researcher David Lewis, PH.D., recently explained, “As the words on the printed page stimulate your creativity, you enter what is essentially an altered state of consciousness!” ✤ Similarly engrossing reads: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson, The Good Girl by Mary Kubica and Unbecoming by Rebecca Scherm.
3 Solve problems faster with Harry Potter!
The supernatural twists that fill the Harry Potter and Game of Thrones books not only spark your imagination, they also improve your problem-solving skills! Research shows that reading stories sprinkled with magical happenings helps stop you from fearing uncertainty, which, in turn, enables you to stay calm and solve problems faster! ✤ Similarly engrossing reads: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Cinder by Marissa Meyer and Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.
4 Form deeper ties with The Other Boleyn Girl!
Can reading a love story improve your relationships? Yes! Romance readers become so good at walking a mile in a heroine’s shoes, they tend to have higher “emotional Iqs”—meaning they can more easily see things from another person’s perspective—than the rest of us. To maximize the benefit, choose a historical romance. The more you immerse yourself in an unfamiliar place and time, the more you have to stretch to understand the characters, which strengthens your ability to communicate your ideas to others! ✤ Similarly engrossing reads: The Lady Hellion by Joanna Shupe, Someone to Love by Mary Balogh, Once a Soldier by Mary Jo Putney and Storm swept by Sabrina Jeffries.