Nowadays when people say they like to read they get dirty looks because "who has time for that?" For most people, reading is the last thing on their minds since everyone is always swamped with work or their kids. Ever since I was young, I've enjoyed being absorbed in a good book. I always try to make time to read but sometimes work and school get the best of me and I won't have time to pick up a book for months.

It is important to read for pleasure, rather than required texts for school. We should also be encouraging our younger siblings to do so, too. If you aren't convinced yet, here are some reasons you should pick up a good book:

1. It helps improve vocabulary.

While reading, it is natural to encounter words that you've never heard of. When this happens, you should quickly look up what the word means (if you weren't able to figure it out through context clues). In some cases, the word will stick to you and you might use it in a conversation! In addition to everyday life, reading helps improve SAT vocabulary, as well. The key to acing the vocabulary section of the SATs is knowing prefixes and suffixes so that when you stumble upon a word you don't recognize, you can use the prefix or the suffix to figure out the gist of it.

2. You learn regardless of the genre.

Whether it be fiction or nonfiction, there are always valuable lessons to absorb. Generally, the books that aren't meant to directly teach you something, are the ones you end up taking the most out of because of indirect lessons about love or friendship.

3. You sleep better.

Reading a few chapters before sleeping is better than watching a few episodes of your favorite show because you sleep better. Researches at the University of Sussex conducted a study that proved reading can help fight insomnia. For those of you that aren't a big fan of reading books, you can even read a magazine (as long as you're fully immersed into whatever text it is that you're reading). Doing this before sleeping for at least six minutes can relieve stress and help you get a better night's sleep. Who doesn't love that?

4. The feeling of not wanting to put your book down.

The best feeling (in my opinion) is never wanting to put down a book. I remember when I was reading "The Hunger Games" for the first time, I secretly read in all of my classes because I was so into it. Usually my parents yell at me for being on my phone too much but when I'm reading, they yell at me for taking my book everywhere, thus never engaging in conversation.

5. Shutting the world off for a while.

There is nothing like being completely indulged in a book without knowing what is going on around you. I love putting my phone on silent and just read for a few hours. It is very refreshing and satisfying.

6. Intelligent conversations.

If you read one or two books a month, that is enough to know about a certain author of genre. Next time you are stuck in a conversation and you can't think of anything to say, you can ask them if they like to read and if so, what kinds of books. It opens up a whole new realm of topics to discuss.

7. It is inexpensive.

It is usually not more than $10 to get a library card, where you can check out a book at any time. If you don't want a library card, you can even just make yourself at home on one of the couches and pour over a good novel all day (for free!) If you're like me and you like buying your books, you can even get them from a website that sells used books for cheap. There are many affordable ways to read, so the fact that "you're broke" is not an excuse.

So next time you see a library or a Barnes & Noble, don't just walk past! Go in and try to find something you might enjoy! I promise you will not regret it.