5 Reasons to Fall in Love with a Reading Addict

Have you ever wondered what makes you just so darn loveable? What is it that gives you that certain something..? Could it be your physical attributes? Or perhaps you have an infectious laugh, or cheery demeanour? This may come as a surprise but your reading habits can also play a part in what an attractive romantic interest you are. Or perhaps it is just a fact of life to you that someone is automatically 3 Hot Points hotter when they have a book in their hands, before you decide let me tell you a few things that make reading addicts the best lovers around…

Reading makes some addicts more adventurous…

Throwing yourself into a book is an adventure in itself, but an addict is usually one found in a pile of books, fretting about how long their TBR list is. We are not afraid of the adventures- we are afraid of missing out on them! An adventure doesn’t have to mean physical danger, or even physically moving, but somehow our hearts race, our palms sweat, we are swept along in an emotional canoe and the author has the paddle. It takes a special sort of person to live one life one week, and go somewhere else entirely the next. When you love a reading addict, you are loving someone who is living multiple adventures all at once so may not be adverse to going on a real one with you.

We may introduce you to something you never realised you would enjoy…

Have ever read a book and then become interested, or perhaps obsessed, with themes or topics within the story? Reading addicts can get quite passionate about particular books so prepare for a sudden spate of documentaries on the War of the Roses, a seemingly out of character interest in neurology, or opinions on moral issues when the zombie apocalypse comes. You never know- it may spark a shared new interest for you both!

Some of us are sensitive, empathetic lovers…

Recent studies show that readers of fiction have heightened connectivity in the central sulcus area of the brain in which neurons have been found to be associated with grounded cognition. That feeling of being transported to another world while you read fiction, at times feeling like you are literally walking in another’s shoes, is caused by this phenomenon. Thanks to this emotional brain training, we reading addicts are able to empathise on a higher level than non-readers, not just feeling what others feel but actively placing ourselves in their world to better understand them. Over time a reading addict could get to know you better than you know yourself.

If you plan on having children we make great role models…

One great aspect of being a reading addict is being surrounded by books, and making reading a part of every day life sets a good example to the children. Many addicts have told me how they were practically born with a book in their hands! Having children who read is also a doorway for parents to explore children’s and young adult fiction, something one may not have considered before. A study in The Journal of Applied Social Psychology shows how reading the Harry Potter series “improves attitudes toward stigmatized groups (immigrants, homosexuals, refugees)” so reading certain fiction is actually helping shape a pretty decent human being!

A poetry addict is in it for the pleasure…

Montreal Neurological Institute has found that our brains are stimulated by poetry in similar ways to music. Changes in heart rate, reports of “chills down the spine” and emotional thrills, coming from pleasure and reward regions of the brain associated with responses to food, sex and drugs. This pleasure/reward gained from music and poetry is found to be imperative to our emotional wellbeing, so dating a reader of poetry may be one way to ensure an emotionally available, thoughtful partner.

Spread the word! Readers are the hottest things in town! Don’t be surprised if you see an increase of single people mingling in bookshops and libraries near you soon…
I hope you will agree there are some fascinating studies out there in support of having a reader in your life. If you have anything else to add to the list, don’t hesitate to join in.