For many of us, there's nothing better than burying our head in a good book. Whether it's a gripping crime story or a biography of someone's amazing life, it's good to read a book to switch off from the distractions of everyday life and help us relax. Maybe that's why some of them are actually being prescribed as a remedy (治疗) to sickness.
It may seem obvious that reading is good for us. It can be educational, and, as some say, it can broaden the mind". A good novel can make us happy or sad, or make us cry as we empathies with characters. The power of books was recognised a few years ago by the British charity Reading Agency, who published a list of books that doctors could offer to patients, tackling topics from depression to dementia (痴呆) to chronic pain. It called this bibliotherapy (阅读疗法) and it's become so successful that it's about to be extended to children as well.
Professor Philip Davis studies the effects of literature at Liverpool University and is author of a book called Reading for Life. He studies people in reading groups and found that it's reading literature--written work thought to have artistic merit that has the best effect.
Of course, it's easy in our smartphone generation to ditch a good book and fiddle with our phones instead. But opening up a paperback could be a simple way to help boost or maintain our mental health. It's thought they can help you set targets and find focus. And they may allow you to see that awkward situation you've been anxious about for weeks from someone else's perspective.
If you' re not an avid reader (书迷) it can be hard to know where to begin. If the Reading Agency book list doesn't appeal, you could read book reviews, visit a library or bookshop or ask a friend. Once you've found the right text, you'll be hooked!
