Benefits of regular reading. Trying to get into the habit of reading books daily…

[Marghe87]

Have you always been a reader? I used to be but have stopped in the past few years and I am finding it hard to start again after DD.
I want to get back into the habit and looking for some extra motivation. What are the actual benefits of reading you experience when getting back into the habit of doing so regularly?

I go through patches of reading loads then not reading at all and definitely in the reading patches I feel better, I breathe deeper when I read so it's relaxing, plus it is escapism!

I try to read every night before bed but sometimes end up watching crap on the iPad instead! I either read in the bath on a waterproof kindle or in bed with a real book. I bought a reading light as the lamp disturbed cosleeping DC.

When I find myself distracted I put some background noise on YouTube with headphones while I read. There's a cosy rain / thunderstorm one I like and it's 23 mins so I try to read for just that amount of I'm struggling to concentrate.

Reading is a lovely habit to get into!

I've had books that have left a lasting impression on me for years. TV really is visual chewing gum forgotten quickly

I'm a voracious reader and have been since childhood. It's one of my favourite interests. It's a wonderful opportunity to experience and live different lives. It's an escape and pure entertainment. The only limit is your imagination as you are pretty free to see characters, places etc as you please. I often find myself thinking about the characters in a book afterwards. I cannot imagine a world without books, nor a kindle etc, it has to be a physical book for me
Reading for me is a neccessity.

I’m the same. Always been an avid reader but my phone has wrecked my concentration span. I need to switch it off and put it in a drawer.

Thanks for all these wonderful answers, it's really beautiful to read what books mean to each of you.
I wish I could say I cannot live without reading, I truly want this to become a habit that is fully embedded into my life but I find it hard to pursue reading when I go through changes, busy periods etc. As a result, I have been reading less and less over the years (used to read a lot - for pleasure - during uni) and things got worse since having DD.
I suppose it is a bit like training, the more you do it, the more it becomes part of you?
Keep the answers coming, I am enjoying reading them!

Also, I agree the pleasure of a real book is not comparable with a kindle (although I see the benefits of having one for traveling etc).

@SilverLiningPlaybook same here :(

No, @hiredandsqueak I have very vivid dreams but not in text. Sounds frustrating to wake up before the end!

I've always been a reader. I read every night in bed for around an hour usually. If I'm really into a book I can also be found wandering the house with it in my hand. Like others have said I've never thought about reading bringing me benefits. It simply brings me joy.

It can be easy to slip into mindless phone scrolling or Netflix box sets but too much of that feels like eating too much junk food for me, if that makes sense, so I make a conscious effort to leave DH to the TV after watching something together for an hour or two and slip off with my book.

I read a lot and always have. In the past few years I have listened to a lot of audio books. I used to hate them because they are so slow compared to books and I would get distracted because I was bored. I've found that if I listen while doing something physical that needs a little brainpower, like cooking or sewing (I'm a quilter), then the speed of an audiobook is ok. I also have a huge library of Kindle books so I read every night before sleeping.

The downside to audiobooks is that as soon as the narrator starts up at least one of my family will have something they urgently need to tell me, and none of them wait they just start talking over the book. It pisses me right off, so I say "stop" and then slowly find my phone, go to the app, stop the book and reverse it 30 seconds and then sigh and say "start again from the beginning". It doesn't happen with regular books, and even if it does I can stop reading instantly and go back to where I was. Audiobooks are much more of a faff if you have to keep stopping and starting.

I've always been a reader since a v young DC! I find it clears my mind, reduces stress (and screen time!) and genuinely makes me happy. I can read a book for hours, but my attention by the tv can't be held more than 15 minutes - I always feel the need to be doing something, but with reading I can actually relax. It takes me to different places and times and is an absolute escape from day to day life, which I love. It's totally reduced my reliance on my phone in the evenings or weekends for quick entertainment, and I think it makes me a nicer person (as I'm more relaxed).

I love fantasy / sci-fi / classics so anything that is not current real life based, I tend to get 50/50 physical books and kindle books - I felt guilty about the kindle for ages, but I still pay for books, it's easy to transport and it's just quick to use. I tend to buy more of the classics in physical form. If I ever get into a non reading sticky time, I just go back to my favourite ever book and re read.