Good news for all you readers out there: Reading for pleasure has a lot of social benefits, according to a new report.
A poll of 4,000 UK adults found that people who read for pleasure have better social social skills, better parent-child communication, lower rates of depression and dementia and improved overall wellbeing.
"Reading is closely linked to increasing understanding of our own identities and can also play a large part in relating to others, understanding their world views and so forth," stated the survey report from UK-based advocacy group The Reading Agency, according to BBC.
Of course, the benefits of getting lost in a book go way beyond the most recent research. A 2009 study found that reading helps overcome stress, while another small study found that people who read later in life had a 32 percent lower rate of mental decline. As if that's not enough, it may also help you sleep better.
Time to get cracking on those beach reads!
H/T BBC News
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