Lois Kaneshiki has spent a decade working in the fields of finance, sales, marketing, and insurance. She also does a significant amount of volunteer and political work. During her leisure hours, Lois Kaneshiki is fond of wine tasting, the theater, and reading.
The publisher and author William Feather once said that “books open your mind, broaden your mind, and strengthen you as nothing else can.” Reading is an activity that has a number of benefits related to maintaining and improving mental health.
Science has proven that reading strengthens the brain. A study conducted in 2013 involved participants reading a novel for a period of nine days. MRI scans showed increased brain activity, specifically during the times when the story became more intense. Even days after the reading increased brain activity continued to be detected, especially in the part of the brain involved with responding to sensations such as movement and pain.
In addition, reading can be a stress buster. A 2009 study has linked reading to reduced blood pressure and a lower resting heart rate. Reading, just like yoga or humor, can reduce psychological distress.
Reading has also been found to maintain and improve the cognitive function of the brain as a person ages. The cognitive function refers to mental abilities such as learning, thinking, reasoning, and remembering.
