6 Benefits of Reading Every Day

每天阅读的6大好处

Reading is good for more than just entertainment. Committing part of everyday to reading printed books can make you a smarter, kinder, more relaxed individual. And the positive effects can be felt at any age: Even before they’ve fully developed their reading skills, kids can benefit from having access to printed materials and being read to on a regular basis. Exposing kids to books, magazines, and more at an early age is a great way to encourage them to be life-long readers, which means they’ll reap these benefits for years to come.

读书不仅可以用来娱乐消遣。每天花一些时间读一些纸质书会让你变得更加聪明、更加友善以及更加放松。读书的好处无论处于什么年纪都可以感受得到。即使是对于还未充分掌握阅读技巧的孩子们而言，阅读纸质书以及定期听故事都可以让他们获益。让孩子在幼年时就接触各种书籍、杂志等可以鼓励孩子们一生都热爱阅读，这也意味着在未来的数年当中，孩子们将收获阅读的成果。

1.READING CAN BOOST INTELLIGENCE.

2.阅读可以益智

People who exhibit strong reading skills early in life grow up to be more intelligent. That was the finding of a study published in 2014 that measured the cognitive development of 1,890 sets of identical twins. When two twins shared the same genes and home environments, early reading skills appeared to be the factor that decided which twin would be better at both verbal tests (like vocabulary) and non-verbal tests (like reasoning tests). Because reading ability is something that’s learned, the study authors concluded that more emphasis should be placed on teaching strong reading skills to young children.

在幼年时就表现出良好阅读技能的人长大后也会更加聪明。这一结论来自于2014年发表的一项研究。在该项研究中，研究人员衡量了1890组双胞胎的认识发育。对于两对拥有相同基因和相同家庭氛围的双胞胎，早期阅读技能似乎决定了哪一对双胞胎在口头测试（类似于词汇）和非口头测试（类似于逻辑测试）中表现更好。由于阅读能力属于一种习得性技能，因此研究作者认为，应把更多重心放在为幼童传授良好的阅读技能上面。

3.READING HELPS INCREASE EMPATHY.

4.阅读有助于增加同理心

Reading books doesn’t just make you smarter—it can make you a kinder person as well. According to a study published in 2013, people who consume literary fiction have an easier time sensing and relating to emotions in other people. This effect likely has something to do with the way such books are written: Great literature forces readers to step outside themselves and empathize with the characters they’re reading about.

阅读不仅会让你变得聪明，还会让你更加善良。根据2013年发表的一项研究，阅读文学作品的人更容易体会到其他人的情绪。这一结果可能与作品的书写方式有关：伟大的文学作品会让读者脱离自己，并移情于书中的人物。

3.READING CAN LOWER STRESS.

4.阅读可以减压

Feel stressed at the end of a long day? Cracking open a book is a good way to wind down. A 2009 study found that reading for just 30 minutes has similar stress-reducing effects to doing 30 minutes of yoga.

一天结束后感到压力重重？翻开一本书是让你放松下来的好方法。一项2009年的研究发现，只阅读30分钟就会产生和做30分钟瑜伽相似的减压效果。

wind down：逐渐放松下来

5.READING MAY CHANGE YOUR BRAIN.

6.读书可以改变大脑

Even after you put down a book, the effects of reading it are still present in your brain. A 2013 study discovered that when people read fiction with a strong narrative and plot, their brains continue to behave differently hours and even days later. The brains of readers show increased connectivity in the left temporal cortex—the region responsible for language receptivity—even hours after they’ve stopped reading. This suggests that reading can train the mind and boost neural function through a process that’s similar to muscle memory.

即使当你停止读书，阅读的影响仍然存在于你的大脑。一项2013年的研究发现，当人们阅读一本故事精彩且情节紧凑的小说时，即使是在阅读后数小时，甚至数日，大脑仍会受到影响。阅读者大脑中的左颞叶皮层（负责语言接收的区域）的联系性变得更强，即使是在阅读者停止阅读后的数小时。这表明阅读可以通过一种类似于肌肉记忆的过程训练思维并改善神经功能。

temporal cortex：颞叶皮层

5.READING IS AN EXCUSE TO PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY AT NIGHT.

6.阅读可以让你在夜晚远离手机

If you’re too busy to read during the day, consider making snuggling up with a good book as part of your bedtime routine. Reading a physical book before going to bed is a great alternative to scrolling through your phone—something most of us admit to doing. Research has shown that smartphone use at night makes it harder for people to fall asleep and leads to an overall decline in sleep quality. Some experts say reading books, on the other hand, can have relaxing effects, making it the ideal bedtime activity.

如果白天太忙没时间读书，那么可以考虑在睡觉前蜷缩在床上读一本好书。在睡觉前读一本纸质书而非浏览手机（绝大多数人都会做的事）是一个更好的选择。研究表明，晚上使用智能手机会导致入睡更加困难并导致睡眠质量总体下降。有些专家表示，阅读则会起到放松的效果，并从而成为理想的入睡活动。

7.READING HELPS FAMILIES BOND.

8.阅读可以让家人之间的联系更紧密

Reading doesn’t have to be a solitary activity. When parents read out loud to their children, they can pass on the benefits of reading and encourage meaningful interactions. To reap the positive effects of reading to kids, parents should stick to physical picture books. A recent study found that print books, in contrast to tablets and e-readers, can promote the deepest connections between caretakers and children.

阅读并非一定是一项孤独的活动。当父母大声为孩子们读书，他们可以将读书的好处传递给孩子并鼓励孩子和父母进行有意义的互动。为了让孩子收获阅读的益处，父母应坚持阅读纸质图画书。最近一项研究发现，与平板电脑和电子书相比，纸质书可以让养育者和孩子们之前的联系更加紧密。

来源：mentalfloss   编辑：质控部Susan