Why you need to '...read in order to live'

Reading literary fiction serves more purpose than just entertainment. Here are some ways in which it helps you.

Literary novels do not have vitamins and antioxidants like fruits, it does not release endorphins like exercising, it does not prevent heart disease or cancer, it is unlikely that it'll make any money for you and yet, reading fiction is extremely good for you.

1. Makes you more empathetic

According to a study conducted by psychologists David Comer Kidd and Emanuele Castano, reading fiction makes a person more capable of reading other people's emotions. For the study, 1000 participants were given reading assignments were they had to read different types of literature - bestsellers, non-fiction, literary fiction, etc.

The participants were then asked to measure other people's emotions and expectedly, those who read literary fiction ranked higher. Why so?

According to David Comer Kidd, 'What great writers do is to turn you into the writer. In literary fiction, the incompleteness of the characters turns your mind to trying to understand the minds of others'.

2. Helps you sleep

Often, we are not able to sleep because our mind is preoccupied with depressing thoughts that distress us. Reading literary fiction will distract your brain and fill it with the thoughts of a great mind. Also, if you train yourself to read a little before sleeping every night, you'll have developed a positive addiction. Reading would then becoming a perfect cue to tell your brain that it's time to sleep.

3. It can change your life

Every reader has his/her own list of books that has changed their lives and how they perceive people. Children are made to read short stories and literature right from a young age so that they develop character.

Books like Salinger's The Catcher In The Rye, Tolstoy's War & Peace, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, etc. all have a dedicated set of fans endorsing their life-changing potential.

4. Makes you a better listener

People need better listeners more than they need better speakers. Reading literary fiction will make you develop empathy and an appetite for paying attention, which in turn will make you notice a person's change of tone, expression, etc. more accurately.

5. Makes you more analytical

Just like you need to workout your muscles, you need to workout your brain. According to research carried out at Emory University in US, fMRI scans of people who had just completed reading good books showed heightened connectivity in the left temporal cortex of their brain for as long as 5 days! This left side of our brain is responsible for language reception and analytical thinking.

6. Replicates real experience

'Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.', said Gustave Flaubert, a French novelist who has written classics like Madame Bovary and Sentimental Education.

Even though, it may seem outrageous to those who are not fond of reading stories, science has proven that experiencing something while reading a novel is similar to experiencing it in real life. According to a study led by neuroscientist Professor Gregory Burns, reading novels doesn't just put you in the character's shoes figuratively, but also biologically.

'The neural changes that we found associated with physical sensation and movement systems suggest reading a novel can transport you into the body of the protagonist.', said Burns.

Besides all these benefits, reading novels is also fun and makes you attractive! So why wait? Order a literary novel online, or go to a bookstore near you.

For more articles on mental health, check out our mental health section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.