I read a novel last weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially because, within the first few pages, I found myself reintroduced into the world of recreational reading. Since coming to the University last August, I have not once read for the sake of reading. But I have since noticed some benefits of reading which I had never fully acknowledged, benefits which many college students should appreciate.
Before I get into the advantages of leisure reading, I will reveal what book returned me to the world of words: Dave Eggers' "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius." And while the title is hardly a humble one, I found Eggers was more than able to deliver on his cover promise. Aside from a modicum of heartbreak, I had only to open the book and read a page or two to get back into the story, finding my outside stresses no longer so consuming. Most of the time, I forgot them completely.
Do not take my word alone for it; there are plenty of indications that reading is an effective method of reducing stress.
Two years ago, Mindlab International, a group specializing in the human brain's response to sensory details, conducted a study at the University of Sussex. The study consisted of increasing the stress levels of volunteers before offering a number of common ways to reduce stress, such as playing video games, going for a walk, listening to music or reading. The effectiveness of the treatments was then measured. Any guess as to which was most effective? Reading came out on top - followed by listening to music, for those who are curious. In fact, the subjects' stress levels were lower after reading than even before they had been subjected to the initial stress.
With rigorous academics, along with social and extracurricular activities, the University makes for an environment which can sometimes be stressful. College students could thus benefit from opening a book on occasion. But stress reduction is not the only biological benefit stemming from leisure reading. Reading a few pages before bedtime can help you fall asleep faster. This contrasts with how most of us end our nights: opening up our laptops to check Facebook one last time.
Common electronic activities may actually prove harmful to the sleeping process, according to WebMD. Studies have tested whether the bright lights of the computer or television screen could interfere with the body's biological clock by reducing our production of melatonin, a hormone which helps to control the body's sleep-wake cycle. All Kindles aside, to better regulate your body's sleeping patterns, I recommend finding a good paperback - one that puts you to sleep through fulfillment, ideally, and not boredom.
There is also the old academic adage which claims reading leads to an expanded vocabulary and greater capacity for reading comprehension. Increased standardized test scores in students who read independently are indicative that this trend holds.
By now, in college, most of us know whether or not we are avid readers. Some of us who were once reading fanatics back in middle school may have fallen off the wagon since coming to the University. I fall into this category. But I have rediscovered reading and the benefits which come with it. With Eggers' book - which I highly recommend, by the way - behind me, I plan on heading to the library soon to look for something new.
For those of you newly inspired to pursue literary leisure, I have a few words to the wise. The first is a no-brainer: Read what you love. If that means a 1000-page work of non-fiction, then go for it; I can feel myself getting sleepy already. And from personal experience, I would advise against reading too much Stephen King before bed - he never really relaxed me. But to each his own, after all.
Sam Novack's column appears Tuesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at s.novack@cavalierdaily.com
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