This is your brain on books.
By Allison Young, Rodale's Organic Life
Read The Da Vinci Code and you practically feel like Robert Langdon running through the streets of Rome or pick up Julie and Julia and
suddenly the scent of Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon fills your senses.
Well, this may not just be in your head (although it is in your head).
[post_ads]Reading stimulates neurological regions in the brain as if you’re living the experience. For example, researchers in Spain found that reading the word “cinnamon” activates the olfactory brain regions responsible for smell. Similarly, while French researchers found that reading about actions (“Pablo kicked the ball”) stimulates the motor cortex, the movement part of the brain.
So
which books are best for building empathy? “Romance and detective
stories that are literary rather than merely plot-driven,” says Oatley,
who names Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as the ideal novel.
You already know money isn’t the secret to
happiness, so what is? Previous research has shown that life experiences
make you happier than material things, but that’s not the end of the
story. A more recent study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology
shows that experiential products designed to create or enhance life
experiences, like books, are total happiness boosters (sporting goods,
video games, and musical instruments also made the list).
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Reading can also help fill up your fulfillment tank. A University of North Texas study found that older adults who continue to read and learn are much more satisfied with their lives.
Losing yourself in a book may be the ultimate in relaxation. Researchers at the University of Sussex
found that reading proved to be the biggest stress buster of all,
beating out listening to music, taking a walk, and drinking a cup of
tea, reducing stress by as much as 68 percent. This is good news for
your health and happiness as stress can zap energy, mess with your
libido, and even set you up for disease. What’s more, just 6 minutes was
enough to slow heart rate and ease muscle tension.
Getting lost in a good book can keep you from losing your memory. A study by Rush University Medical Center published in Neurology
found that keeping up with mentally stimulating activities throughout
your life, like reading, can mean a 32 percent slower rate of cognitive
decline.
[post_ads]Another study
found that those who engaged in brainy pursuits (think: reading, chess,
puzzles) were 2.5 times less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.
Reading has real-time brain benefits too. A study
by Emory University found that when participants read “Pompeii,” a
plot-driven thriller with a strong narrative, brain scans showed
heightened connectivity in brain regions associated with language and
balance. Similar titles: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, The Hunger Games by Suzanna Collins, and Prey by Michael Crichton.
Crack open Harry Potter’s world of
pure-bloods and “muggles” and your prejudices could (poof!) disappear. A
study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology
found that reading the Harry Potter books, notably passages dealing
with prejudice, improved attitudes towards LGBT individuals and
immigrants. In another study,
participants who read an except from a story about a Muslim American
women were less likely to make broad assumptions based on race.
“One of the biggest benefits of reading is you come to know other
people, in other societies, outside the bubble of one’s own
individuality,” adds Oatley. Book suggestions: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai.
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