Reading helps you to improve your language skills. It helps you recognize words, and see how language is formed. It helps specifically with vocabulary and spelling... but also can help with understanding complex topics and challenging your thinking, if you read things that challenge you. You also read for pleasure or escape... a good book is enjoyable, and allows you to get caught up in the plot, and forget your problems temporarily... and it is a lot less addictive (at least physically) than many other things that allow the same sort of escape. :)