We at bookbinding services like to think we understand the importance of reading. Literature is an archive of human culture and ideas. By reading books and writing them, we maintain these ideas and add to the pool of human knowledge and history.

The Benefits of Reading

We have all heard reading is good for you. But what exactly does reading do for us? How does it affect our brain or how healthy or even how smart we are?

Studies researching what reading a novel does to our brains have shown us precisely what areas of the brain are affected.

Hubs (Activity centres in the brain) that are thought to correspond with perspective taking and story comprehension light up with activity for a short period after we read a novel. This shows that these parts of the brain are being stimulated, what this means for our brains is that new neural pathways are being discovered and that information is being stored in these hubs so that it can benefit our capabilities in these fields, namely perspective taking and story comprehension or the ability to understand a story.

"Typically, when you read, you have more time to think. Reading gives you a unique pause button for comprehension and insight. By and large, with oral language—when you watch a film or listen to a tape—you don't press pause." (Maryanne Wolf, director of the Centre for Reading and Language Research at Tufts University)

We love this quote. It really puts into perspective the nature of written word.

When we read we can take a moment longer to truly visualise and interpret the ideas that the writer is trying to convey. Because of this added insight, reading pushes the reader to imagine, understand and interpret new concepts and ideas, literally broadening our horizons.

Reading really does make you smarter and is important for people of all age groups

Enriched vocabulary, better general knowledge and heightened cognitive skills are especially noticeable in children who read at ages 11 through to 16. Cognitive skills are what your brain uses to think, remember, reason, and pay attention. Most learning problems relate to deficiencies in these skill areas.

Reading is not just beneficial to the young, reading throughout your life helps develop and maintain focus and concentration.

"More frequent cognitive activity across the life span has an association with a slower late-life cognitive decline that is independent of common neuropathologic conditions."

From the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Centre and Departments of Neurological Sciences (R.S.W., L.Y., L.L.B., J.A.S., D.A.B.), Behavioural Sciences (R.S.W., P.A.B., L.L.B.), and Pathology (J.A.S.), Rush University Medical Centre, Chicago, IL.

What this means is that people who read throughout their lifetime not only maintain elevated cognitive activity throughout their lives, they also develop a resistance to typical declines in mental activity due to age. Keeping your mind active and mentally stimulated helps prevent your brain from slowing down and has been linked to the prevention of illnesses such as Alzheimer's and Dementia.

Bookbinding Services South Africa

There is no excuse for anyone not to read when there are so many books to read on every subject for every kind of reader.

What better way to showcase your book than to have it bound by our professional book binding services. We have a team of skilled bookbinders in South Africa capable of exceeding any bookbinding needs.

For book repairs, re-binding or re-backing, please contact us.