Reading is a passion we can take
into our old age and not worry about our performance! After all, it’s not a
game we’re playing… we’re just keeping our brains functioning at optimum
level.

Let’s be clear. Scrolling through
Facebook is not a brain workout. Reading a book is. In fact, all the new-fangled
brain games we play are really no substitute for plain old reading which can be
called the first brain game.

Reading gives our brain a serious
workout. As you’re reading this, for example, your brain is decoding a series
of complex symbols (bet you never heard letters described in that way before!),
and then creating complex ideas from the synthesised results.

The Benefits of Reading

The benefits of reading include:

Stress Reduction

Reading lowers your stress levels.
Focussing on what you’re reading is far removed from everyday life and its
problems.

Mental Stimulation

Whatever your read will exercise
your brain, get you thinking, and help your imagination to soar.

Improved Social Skills

Reading enhances empathy, and
reading fiction helps you to understand the mental states, differing ideas,
wants and needs, and beliefs.

Enhanced Memory

Reading is known to improve
memory – even if only for discussion with fellow readers in the book club
you’re going to join! Reading has been shown to stimulate memory as well as
slow cognitive decline as we age.

Better Brain Connections
and Function

Flex your imagination muscle and
get the two brain halves connecting better. Strengthen the bridge between the
logical left and the creative right! Read those novels that have been sitting
gathering dust.

Improved Sleep

Ditch the screen and make reading
a part of your bedtime ritual. But limit the time. There are some books that
are really hard to put down and you won’t sleep better at all!

Large Vocabulary

Your vocabulary has grown over
the years and continuing to read will make it grow further. That is, of course,
the magic of words, and they can make our imaginations burst forth!

Benefits of Writing After
60

When it comes to writing, we become
better at it as we age. Here’s why:

More Experience to Draw on

If you’re telling your story or
writing something fictional, you have years of experience to share. Draw on it!

Greater Life Knowledge

Yes, you have become wiser! You know
things you may have even forgotten learning, but once you put pen to paper, the
flood gates open. It’s like opening a packet of Maltesers…

Brilliant at Creating Work
Plans

The big tip here is to write everything down. Create lists and
tick off items only when they are done. Don’t waste valuable brain space by
trying to remember everything. You have better things to do.

Continuous Brain Growth

Utilise the potential available
and keep it moving. You’re slowing cognitive decline by doing so.

Broader and More
Interesting Vocabulary

You have a lifetime of words to
play with; recall and re-learn and just expand.

Emotions Management

You may need to manage our emotions,
especially when it comes to editing the writing we produce.

Better Communication
Between Left and Right Brain Halves

Your logical left brain
communicates far better with your creative right brain as you age. It makes it
easier to gather your thoughts and use them to your best advantage.

You probably noticed that reading
and writing have the same effects, though in slightly different ways. But they
are both crucial to slowing the aging of your brain.

Whatever reasons, or excuses, you
have used not to write, get rid of them now. You have the time and the
inclination so start writing. Let the butterfly in you fly.

If you didn’t read when you were
younger because you never had the time, now you can make the time. Stimulate
your brain and let your imagination out of its cage.

How often do you read? What type of books do you prefer? Have you ever
thought of writing a book or is it still a dream on your bucket list? Please
share in the comments below!