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Dozens of studies tell us that fictional stories are much better for the brain than real stories.
- freeing ourselves from stereotypes
Literary laws differ from the world’s standards – in fictional worlds, society is more likely to be more tolerant of the oppressed and minority groups.
In Italy, a study called “The Greatest Magic of Harry Potter: Confronting Prejudice” involved fifth-grade students reading several passages from Harry Potter. The teacher gave tips on how to analyze what was written. Particular emphasis was placed on the moments where the main character is loyal to the Muggle girls – kids whose parents are Muggle. Already after three lessons, the children were calmer about homosexuals, immigrants, and refugees.
- Developing Empathy
The results of the study “Discovering the novel: fiction improves empathy” showed that fiction books develop conscious empathy for other people, and help you imagine yourself in their shoes. The reason is that the brain processes information equally in the work and in reality.
The area of the left temple is responsible for the perception of language – the brain thinks it is doing the same thing as the character in the book. The phenomenon is called “embodied cognition.” When we read, we move into the body of the character.
Fiction helps to shift our focus away from ourselves, and begin to better understand the desires and behavior of others.
- Improve sleep and strengthen the nerves
Escape into a fictional world helps you cope with stress, and a book is one of the most effective tools. The study “Reading: How to Reduce Stress” states that just six minutes of concentrated reading relaxes your muscles by 68%. Compare that to other activities: listening to your favorite songs calms you down 61 percent, walking 42 percent, and playing computer games only 21 percent.
A book is best for evening entertainment. Reading relaxes you, distracts you from your worries, and helps you sink into sleep.
- Embrace uncertainty.
Stability is a myth, but it doesn’t bother romance fans much. The study, “Discovering the Closed Mind: The Impact of Dating Literature on the Need for Certainty,” proved: people who read fictional stories are more relaxed about uncertainty than non-fiction lovers.
The experiment involved 100 students from a university in Toronto. The young people were given one essay or one short story to read. Then each answered several questions that assessed their level of need to get stability. The bottom line: students who read the stories responded more easily to instability. Thinking broadly and looking for creativity is what books teach.
- Enriching Vocabulary
The Habit of Reading experiment demonstrated that the number of fiction books read is directly related to vocabulary.
If you want to learn to speak beautifully, fiction will help. You will be able to articulate your thoughts better.
- Develop imaginative thinking and imagination
The English classicist Joseph Conrad had a saying to that effect: “The writer creates only half a book. The reader writes the rest.” A wise author tells only what is necessary, and forces the reader to engage his imagination. The setting, the characters’ appearances, the smells, the voices – we, as filmmakers, come up with the details ourselves.
If your imagination is failing you, read more books. Fiction will excite you.
- Making new friends and discovering the whole world
In books, we meet people and go on adventures that are often lacking in reality. Characters turn into friends and advisors. We can argue, hate each other, or support each other in a difficult moment. These are real emotions that each of us experiences. Not a simple escape from reality, but a new life experience. - Training your memory and logical thinking
How to remember all the characters and absorb the intricate plot? Have iron nerves, developed memory and logic. When you understand a complex work, you prolong the life of the brain. The study, “Cognitive Activity over Life, Neuropathological Burden and Cognitive Aging,” showed that book lovers are 32% less likely to get Alzheimer’s in old age. The brain works better when a book is longer.
There are enough perks to fiction books: we learn compassion, we understand others, we increase our vocabulary, and we develop our imagination. To reason more broadly, to discover original experiences and solve problems in new ways, and most importantly, to be calm and sleep soundly.
