"Reading"-It's impact on our mental health!!

 Reading and its effect on mental health

Reading in my opinion is the most mysterious activity I’ve ever encountered.  While reading a thriller book we find ourselves imaging the whole scenes and also when reading fantasy novels, we can imagine things that don’t make any sense practically than how does our brain imagines those scenarios? How do we can see things in our mind that are not seen before? How can we humans imagine differently while reading the same book? The book can be a fantasy, love story, action story or even alien story we’ll still be able to imagine the scenes, characters and the voices too.

When I read books, I can hear the characters talking while reading their dialogues and even if I’m reading a life lesson book, I can still hear their voices. I imagine the characters, voices and the surroundings too. Once I was reading a book where the characters were visiting Turkey, and I who never went out of the city where I was born, can literally visualize Turkey, sitting in my sofa, eating snacks and having a warm cup of coffee. If the character is enjoying a view, a song or anything I enjoy with them too. Just like how we sometimes connect the vibes of a song and create the whole ambiance from it. This depends on how a writer executes their art too but have you ever thought of how despite being so normal we can visualize such extra ordinary things.

Reading is just an art which takes a visit of our brain and makes every part of our brain active. When we read something, our brain is fully active and focuses on the smallest details of the content we read. Our brain is active and focused during reading that it improves our brain power. Just like how after exercising our body becomes stronger, reading makes our brain stronger.

Reading takes you to another world

When we are reading our mind can only think of what we are reading. It takes all the focus from everything and diverts into reading. When I feel stressful or upset, I tend to read some good book that I’ve read 100 times before but I’ll still read again and my stress, mood swings and sadness just disappears and I find myself focused into that book or story. I find myself imagining the characters and even different imaginary worlds. That’s how impactful reading is. It takes to a whole new world tour by just sitting in your room.

Reading acts as therapeutic

Reading is an art that also is therapeutic for us. Having to focus on small details of writing is very healthy for our brain. We can emotionally feel what a book character says or feels. It also stimulates our emotions and we feel emotionally attached to the characters or books. Reading is a great catharsis for our emotions. For example, while reading Harry Potter, I was sobbing on the death of Professor Dumbledore it was the greatest shock for me and so upsetting that I was reading the scene at 3 am and I had to hide myself in my pillows so that my family can’t hear me crying just for a book character. For them it was just a character but for me he was PROFESOR DUMBLEDORE!!! How can I not cry for him who was with me for 6 books but now my favorite character was betrayed by his own ally (Well that’s how it seemed at that time).

Reading cures disorders too!!

It has been proved through scientific researches that reading proves beneficial for mental health issues and it improved people's mental health.  Active brain can avoid many diseases and specially at old age. An inactivity in brain increases the chances of people getting affected by diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Dementia, so reading helps in keeping your mind active. In this era, where mental health issues are rising rapidly and we can’t even find the time to go for therapy, such simple activity of reading can help you a great deal. So get out of that procrastination mode and jump to good book your friend has been telling you to read since forever and its never too late to adopt a healthy hobby. Have good read!!

MUSIC IS DESTROYING MENTAL HEALTH ?

Technological development and excessive usage of mobile phones have lead the world towards countless mental illnesses beyond a person’s imagination. The transforming world at super-sonic pace and increased competitive behaviors among individuals with the want of more and more has lead a generation of youngsters more vulnerable to mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, hypertension and constant stress. A world formed within our mobile phones at just a single click away from us has left us comparing ourselves with everyone on social media and the hyper reality that it follows, leads the thought processes of a person towards something which becomes uncontrollable for them to take care of, if not identified by themselves and set limits to. No doubt, positive sides do beheld and outgrow various factors that have helped shape the world into the form it is right now, in many better ways, but the ultimate effect that everyone is bearing in form of mental health is something not to be ignored at all, let alone the stigma of talking about it. 

Excessive scrolling on social media, mobile addiction, repetitive behaviors, constant boredom and fatigue are the aspects that are usually focused upon by researchers when discussing the effects these terminologies have on our mental health. 

Meanwhile, talking about the effects music has on our mental health, we settle down and become less impulsive when we listen to music, which is due to the rhythmic and repeated elements of the song. Music is frequently used to match or alter our emotional state. While there are certain advantages to matching music to our mood, doing so can have the unintended consequence of keeping us in a sad, angry, or nervous state.

Whereas positive effects being discussed that the music has on our mental health include, reduction in stress, that is, the melodies that we listen to, with the frequency it is settled upon, different pitches affect our mood differently whereas mostly it has proven to be helpful in releasing stress for the listener. Secondly it elevates a person’s mood and motivation towards certain things, third, it is said to help improvise focus of a person, and also help in reducing anxious and depressive thoughts for a person. 

For most people, music is an important part of their daily lives. Be it their aily travelling, they listen to music to keep them going. Some people turn up a favorite playlist to keep them going during a workout, too. Many people even turn their music on even cooking, taking a shower, as well as while they wrap the laundry. 

For some people, music is a way to be creative, for others it's a way to relax, and for us, it can have a big impact on our mood. Music can make us dance, run faster, calm our minds, and make us remember things. Producing your own melodies, even if you just play a guitar or write lyrics to a song, proves beneficial in expressing and processing your feelings. How you feel is more important than how it sound. One thing to be mindful of is that no one has to listen to your music unless you want them to.

Emotional control is an important part of mental health. People who can't control their emotions are more likely to have psych mood disorders like distress. Medical practitioners know how powerful music can be when it comes to emotions. They can use music to help their clients improve their moods and even help relieve the symptoms of psychiatric mood disorders like depression. Besides, countless humans already hear music under their own to help them deal with their emotions. There isn't much information out there about how this kind of music listening affects their mental health, though. Brain imaging shows how people's brains respond to different types of music and how that affects how they control their emotions. In a study, it was found that men who use music to deal with negative emotions react badly to aggressive and sad music.