Mindwire Brain Training Series: Week 12- Read for Mental Health

Reading is an incredibly beneficial activity for your brain, cognitive function, and mental health. When you read, you engage multiple regions of your brain, stimulating neural connections and promoting brain health. It’s like a workout for your mind!

Reading enhances cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. It requires focus and concentration, which helps improve your ability to retain information and think critically. Additionally, reading exposes you to new ideas, perspectives, and knowledge, expanding your mental horizons.

Moreover, reading has a positive impact on mental health. It can reduce stress by providing an escape from daily pressures and allowing you to relax. Immersing yourself in a compelling story or absorbing knowledge through non-fiction can transport you to different worlds and reduce anxiety. Reading also stimulates imagination and creativity, fostering a sense of curiosity and wonder.

Regular reading has been associated with improved vocabulary, communication skills, and emotional intelligence. It can even enhance empathy by allowing you to understand diverse characters and their experiences.

So, pick up a book, dive into a magazine article, or explore an dusty old newspaper. Your brain and mental well-being will thank you!

Challenge: Select one or more of the following exercises to implement this week to read more.

1. Just read. Pick a book, any book, fiction, non-fiction, it doesn’t matter. Just read! Identify 5 minutes that you can devote to reading a book.

The following are a few suggestions of books I love that you could start with if you would like.

  1. Hatchet

  2. Summer of the Monkeys

  3. Eragon (The entire series)

  4. The Hunger Games

  5. Where the Red Fern Grows

  6. Jurassic Park

  7. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

  8. Leadership and Self Deception

  9. Today Matters

  10. The 4 Agreements

  11. Ender’s Game

  12. Boundaries

  13. Start

  14. The Upside of Stress

  15. Standing For Something

  16. The Screwtape Letters

  17. Harry Potter (The Entire Series)

  18. Outliers

  19. The Obstacle is the Way

  20. Atomic Habits