How book clubs are good for your heart, mind and wallet
Ever just feel good after your book club meeting? According to recent findings by the YOU Docs, book clubs have been shown to consistently benefit members both mentally and physically over time. In all, book club members benefit in five ways from the social activity: physically, book club meetings reduce stress levels, protect member hearts and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease; mentally, book clubs increase serotonin and connections in the brain.
And according to David Brooks, New York Times columnist and author of The Social Animal, joining a club that meets once a month can produce the same happiness gain as doubling your income. Here, he talks about his findings with the Guardian:
“The relationship between money and happiness is very tenuous; the relationship between personal bonds and happiness is incredibly strong,” he continues. “So joining a club that meets once a month produces the same happiness gain as doubling your income. It’s all about the number of people you associate with and how intimately you associate with them.”
What do you think? What has been your book club experience?
Jazzy Wright is a contributor for Wrightspeak. Email her at jwright@wrightspeak.com.
