The Importance of Reading During Quarantine
We’ve already been confined for several weeks. Thus, we haven’t been able to leave our homes as a consequence of COVID-19. And among the many activities and tasks people try to do to avoid boredom, distract themselves, and avoid being anxious, reading during quarantine can be an excellent and healthy option.
The benefits of reading
Reading and cultivating the habit of reading is always extremely important. In fact, it’s even more important during quarantine since reading offers many benefits and, in addition, can help make the days of confinement more bearable.
Thus, among its many benefits, we can mention that reading:
- Increases our knowledge, information, and culture.
- Exercises the brain and prevents cognitive degeneration. So consequently, it prevents neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
- Promotes reasoning, concentration, and memory.
- Stimulates imagination.
- Develops communication skills, as it improves syntax and grammar and expands vocabulary.
- Stimulates perception.
- Increases curiosity.
- Develops emotions and social skills such as empathy.
The importance of reading during quarantine
Reading is very healthy on a cognitive, psychological, and emotional level. At a psychological level, it helps people build their personality based on knowledge and identification with other people and how they act in other contexts or realities.
In addition, reading is an ally against loneliness since it’s the perfect companion for people who are or feel alone.
On an emotional level, reading allows you to simulate, and therefore experience, other people’s life situations. Likewise, it allows you to know, understand, and empathize with other feelings and sensations. This helps develop your perspectives and opinions regarding emotions and moods.
Thus, the benefits of reading are undeniable. But, in addition, we shouldn’t forget the other advantages that reading offers. For example, the development of character and at the level of emotions and moods.
Spending a few hours a day reading in a quiet, well-lit corner, is positive during this quarantine. Surely, letting yourself get carried away by a good book entertains, relaxes, and allows you to escape during this difficult time.
Reading during quarantine for company, as a hobby, and to develop critical thinking
Finding a good book to read, no matter if it’s a print or e-book, is synonymous with finding a perfect companion during confinement. Letting yourself get carried away by reading a book is an ideal hobby that will take you to different worlds, people, and experiences. It also allows you to escape from this complicated period of time we’re experiencing.
As we mentioned above, some people’s goal of reading during quarantine may be to help them escape from the coronavirus issue. But, on the contrary, their goal may also be to read and learn more about this virus that’s haunting the entire world.
In this regard, you can spend some time reading to expand your knowledge on the coronavirus. You can read texts, studies, and links, as long as they’re from reliable sources. This way, you avoid echoing fake news that’s circulating on social networks that, rather than informing and teaching about COVID-19, only confuse and misinform people.
In these days of confinement, don’t hesitate to be thankful for reading. This is because, as we explained above, this activity has many positive effects on the brain and cognition and is also a pleasant and loyal companion. In addition, reading helps you develop critical thinking.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Columbus, C., Brust, K. B., & Arroliga, A. C. (2020). 2019 novel coronavirus: an emerging global threat. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, pp. 1–4. Recuperado de https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08998280.2020.1731272
- Flores Guerrero, D. (2016). La importancia e impacto de la lectura, redacción y pensamiento crítico en la educación superior. Zona próxima, (24), pp. 128-135. Recuperado de http://www.scielo.org.co/pdf/zop/n24/n24a10.pdf
- Gil Flores, J. (2009). Hábitos y actitudes de las familias hacia la lectura y competencias básicas del alumnado. Recuperado de https://idus.us.es/bitstream/handle/11441/77870/H%c3%81BITOS%20Y%20ACTITUDES%20DE%20LAS%20FAMILIAS%20HACIA%20LA%20LECTURA%20Y%20COMPETENCIAS%20B%c3%81SICAS%20DEL%20ALUMNADO.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y