Want to Live Longer? Read!

Do you want to live longer? Of course you do. Who doesn't? I'm going to surprise you with an easy and effective way to increase your life span. And this method requires no special exercise equipment, no gym membership and not even any special diet. The only thing you need is a book!

Yes, you read that right---a book can be your key to both a longer and more fulfilling life.

In a 2016 study published by the Yale School of Public Health, it was reported that people over the age of 50 who read any type of book for as little as 30 minutes a day could increase their lifespan on average by two  years.  The study was based on some 12 years of data originally compiled by the University of Michigan's Health and Retirement Study.

It should be emphasized that while  reading any type of book is effective, simply reading magazines and newspapers does not appear to have the same effect. Although researchers are not sure why that is the case, one theory is that reading a book causes you to think critically and make more brain connections that can protect against cognitive decline.  They referred to this effect as "deep reading."

So, if you want to live longer, get out your library card and head to your nearest library.