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With May being Mental Health Awareness month, we wanted to highlight an ongoing library program that can have countless benefits to one's mental health: book clubs.
Between the Sandy and Hoodland Libraries, we have four different book clubs to partake in, but joining a book club can be a daunting task, yet incredibly rewarding.
From a social aspect, joining a book club can help foster a sense of community and bring like-minded people together. Often, joining a book club can be a way to make new friends, and while the social aspect may start around discussing this month's book, it can often blossom into a great connection.
Joining a book club can also help with your personal growth in ways you may not have addressed before. Book clubs promote a sense of accountability and commitment that once learned can ebb into other areas of your life. Reading fiction has been shown to help people build their sense of empathy as well, but introducing readers to new perspectives and understanding of others.
Often when participating in a book club, members will find themselves discussing the experiences of the characters (or other book club members). Having these discussions can help strengthen your emotional intelligence muscle, as well as promote a sense of mindfulness and self-reflection. Book club questions will often ask the reader how they would feel being in those character's shoes giving you a chance to take a step back and become more aware of your own actions and thoughts.
Finally, joining a book club can have physical benefits as well. Studies have shown that joining a book club can actually help you live longer. Part of this, is the social aspect and how beneficial it can be to regularly meet up with your peers as you age, however, reading is also beneficial for your brain.
Reading can improve your memory and concentration, help you sleep better, and reduce your stress levels (as long as you're not reading Stephen King). Some studies have even shown that reading as you get older can help delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's.
While reading is often thought to be a solitary activity, joining a book club may have some additional benefits for your mental health. Thinking of giving it a try? Check out the details of our June book clubs, head on over to lincc.org to reserve your copy and we'll see you there!
