Reading is fundamental for functioning in today’s society. There are many adults who cannot read well enough to understand the instructions on a medicine bottle. That is a scary thought – especially for their children. Filling out application forms becomes impossible without help. Reading road or warning signs is difficult. Day-to-day activities that many people take for granted become a source of frustration, anger and fear. A person is limited in what they can accomplish without good reading and comprehension skills. 

Reasons for Reading Daily:

Mental stimulation
Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of (or possibly even prevent) Alzheimer’s and dementia since keeping your brain active and engaged prevents it from losing power. 
Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy. 

Stress reduction
No matter how much stress you have at work, in your personal relationships, or countless other issues faced in daily life, it all just slips away when you lose yourself in a great story. A well-written novel can transport you to other realms, while an engaging article will distract you and keep you in the present moment, letting tensions drain away and allowing you to relax.

Knowledge
Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. The more knowledge you have, the better equipped you are to tackle any challenge you’ll ever face. Remember that although you could lose everything else - your job, your possessions, your money, even your health - knowledge can never be taken away from you.

Vocabulary expansion
The more you read, the more words you gain exposure to, and they’ll inevitably make their way into your everyday vocabulary. Being articulate and well-spoken is of great help in any profession, and knowing that you can speak to people in higher positions with self-confidence can be an enormous boost to your self-esteem.

Memory improvement
When you read a book, you have to remember a variety of characters, their backgrounds, ambitions, history, and nuances, as well as the various arcs and sub-plots that weave their way through every story. That’s a fair bit to remember, but brains are marvellous things and can remember these things with relative ease. Amazingly enough, every new memory you create forges new synapses (brain pathways) and strengthens existing ones, which assists in short-term memory recall as well as stabilising moods. 

Stronger analytical thinking skills 
Have you ever read an amazing mystery novel and solved the mystery yourself before finishing the book? If so, you were able to put critical and analytical thinking to work by taking note of all the details provided and sorting them out to determine 'whodunit.'

Improved focus and concentration
When you read a book, all of your attention is focused on the story - the rest of the world just fades away, and you can immerse yourself in every fine detail you’re absorbing. Try reading for 15-20 minutes before work (i.e. on your morning commute if you take public transport), and you’ll be surprised at how much more focused you are once you get to the office. 

Better writing skills 
This goes hand-in-hand with the expansion of your vocabulary: exposure to published, well-written work has a noted effect on one’s own writing, as observing the cadence, fluidity, and writing styles of other authors will invariably influence your own work.

Tranquillity
In addition to the relaxation that accompanies reading a good book, it’s possible that the subject you read about can bring about immense inner peace and tranquillity. Reading spiritual texts can lower blood pressure and bring about an immense sense of calm, while reading self-help books has been shown to help people suffering from certain mood disorders and mild mental illnesses.

Reading can help you sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is extremely important to ensure you are ready to face a new day. But sometimes, there are a number of factors or worries which make nodding off a little difficult. Reading for ten minutes or so can help you switch off from your daily stresses and relax enough to sleep.

Reading is a great form of entertainment!
A paperback book doesn’t take up much space, so you can take it anywhere, and you’ll never be lonely or bored if you have a book in your bag. You can read while waiting in a queue, while waiting for a friend who’s running late or during a flight delay at an airport.