Some of us keep hitting the snooze alarm, again and again. But it is not in the morning, and it is not to wake up. Often it is to remind us that there is life happening around us, and we have to participate even if grudgingly.
If you are the kind that needs reminding to keep that book down and go to sleep, then now you have reason to rejoice. Science has proved that getting lost in a book is actually good for you.
A recent study from the Department of Communication at University at Buffalo (UB) proved that getting lost in books has unexpectedly powerful advantages to our mental growth, sense of belonging, social skills, longevity, and mood management.
Professor Melanie Green at UB, has conducted a research into ‘reading as transportation’ and what makes it possible to ‘get lost in books’. Keith Oatley, professor in the department of applied psychology and human development at University of Toronto, suggests that when we read a story, we give up some of our own habits and thoughts, and we take our own idea of being a different person in circumstances that we might other wise never had been in.
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Researchers found that reading satisfies the need for human connection because it can mimic what we feel during real social interactions. This empathy creates positive feelings, which help the general wellbeing and foster a good mental health.
Reading also gives a sense of freedom and control, that helps in building confidence and a positive attitude.
So, now if someone disturbs you, cite your health, and go on reading as if your life depends on it. It actually might.
