When was the last time you wanted to read a book, or an article perhaps? Does your daily habits center around tweets, Instagram updates, or the directions on you read from Google Maps to get to a destination? If you’re one of people who don’t make a habit of reading regularly, you might be missing out- actually, you're for certain missing out! Reading has a prominent number of benefits, and just a few benefits of reading are listed below:

1. Whether you write things for work or just for fun such as journalling or even heavy reading can actually improve your writing skills. There are various ways in which reading can help strengthen and condition your writing skills, and each of these ways occurs without you even realising it.

2. Reading anything that fills your mind and exposes you to new words, phrases, and facts seems to carry mental benefits. Scientists indicate that a large vocabulary span may lead to a more resilient mind by fueling what scientists call as 'cognitive reserve'!

3. Those who who engage their brains through activities such as reading, chess, or puzzles could be 2.5 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who spend their down time on less stimulating activities.

As said by Doctor Seuss, 'The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.' 
 

Plunging into a good book paves a way of discovering a whole new world of knowledge and infinite dreamlike realities starting from a very young age. Reading puts our mind to work on building up our growth as people and our maturity. Even the small books with cartoon images and simple dialogues exhibit a meaningful message of morality and wisdom to its readers. 
 

Some books over time I would recommend to all avid readers or those wanting to try this new habit out are:

- 1984 by George Orwell

- Tuesday's With Morrie by Mitch Albom

- If Beale Street Could Talk, James Baldwin

- Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie

- In Cold Blood, Truman Capote

Hopefully these benefits and book ideas outlined can help everyone find their passion in reading and let their imaginative flow carefree and wild in the air.

Bhavna Bhaskaran, GGSK COLLEGE