From Bedtime Stories to Book Clubs: Reading Protects Your Brain for Life
The review found reading can improve mental health, academic performance and cognitive function, while lowering dementia risk, researchers said.
- Cambridge University Researchers published a review in Psychological Medicine finding that reading for pleasure enhances cognitive performance, reduces mental decline risk, and boosts wellbeing at any age.
- Despite evidence of benefits, the National Literacy Trust found only 36% of children aged 8-18 enjoy reading, down from 58.6% in 2016, while PISA 2025 reports a global decline across Europe.
- Christelle Langley, co-author of the review, urged finding engaging entry points to encourage youth reading. Cambridge collaborated with The Queen's Reading Room, founded by Queen Camilla.
- Professor Barbara Sahakian noted that book clubs provide social interaction reducing isolation and dementia risk, adding "it's never too late to start" because reading brings benefits throughout life.
- Whether reading an English classic or a novel, academics found that reading supports brain health, proving enjoyment drives health improvements regardless of format or material.
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12 Articles
Benefits include better attention and memory, better academic performance, fewer mental health problems, and a healthier lifestyle.
The reading of pleasure offers significant health benefits, regardless of the material chosen, according to scientists at Cambridge University. Researchers have explained in a recently published paper how reading improves mental well-being, contributes to better educational outcomes, stimulates empathy and reduces the likelihood of dementia, reports The Independent. The conclusions of the ...
Any type of reading helps slash dementia risk and reduce stress, new research finds
Reading for pleasure can improve mental health, academic performance and brain function, while potentially reducing the risk of dementia, according to new research. Scientists from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge have reviewed existing research into the benefits of reading, concluding that the hobby can have many positive effects throughout a person’s life.Professor Barbara Sahakian and Dr Christelle Langley carried o…
The Independent
The Independent (US)Reading for pleasure comes with multiple health benefits, researchers say
In a new review, scientists argue that reading boosts mental health and academic performance, leads to greater empathy and lowers the risk of dementia
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