Need a reason to open a book? Science shows the benefits of reading go beyond fun—and can lead to a happier, healthier life.
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11 Science-Backed Benefits of Reading, According to Experts
Updated Aug. 30, 2024
While the avid readers among us may be working their way through the best books of all time or devouring a hot-off-the-press read, most Americans don’t have their noses stuck in a novel. And that’s a shame because there are so many benefits of reading.
Why is reading important? Studies have shown that a regular reading habit not only sharpens vocabulary but also reduces the brain’s rate of decline in old age and expands “EQ” (aka emotional intelligence) and well-being.
The good news is that it’s never too late to adopt a reading habit that’ll enrich your life and teach you how to be smarter. With regular reading, you can increase your IQ—and then level up by learning how to read faster. Ready? Keep scrolling to learn about the science-backed benefits of reading from three experts in books and psychology.
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The benefits of reading
We read for fun, and we read to learn, but while entertainment and education are the most obvious benefits of opening a book, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. “Reading has countless benefits, starting from birth [and lasting] through adulthood,” says literacy advocate Judy Newman, the chief impact officer at Scholastic.
To better understand the benefits of reading books, we turned to the experts. Below, they discuss the many perks of making reading your newest hobby.
1. It gives your brain a workout
Want to challenge your mind? Crack open a book. A study published in the August 2023 issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports linked reading with better thinking skills in kids.
“The more you read, the better your brain works,” explains Diana Anson, LCSW, an experienced psychotherapist who’s been a professor of psychology at the College of Southern Nevada for 25 years. “Even problem-solving becomes easier as you develop the ability to see problems from different angles. … Reading is to the mind what the gym is to the body—only without the sweaty gym clothes.”
2. It might help protect against cognitive decline
Digging into a good book can take years off your mind, according to a 2021 study published in International Psychogeriatrics. Researchers found that frequent “reading activities” were associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline in older adults.
The study took 14 years to complete and involved four face-to-face interviews with 1,962Â people ages 64 and older. Those who engaged in reading at least once a week had a lower risk of cognitive decline over the years. And it didn’t seem to matter what these adults chose to read either. Regularly reading newspapers, magazines and books of all kinds helped protect mental function.
So if you’re worried about memory loss, this is your cue to sign up for a library card or visit your local bookstore. This is one of the reading benefits you don’t want to miss out on.
3. It melts away stress
If you’ve ever been swept up in a breezy beach read, you’re probably aware of the stress-reducing effect, one of the most immediate benefits of reading books.
“Reading is like escaping to a calmer dimension without leaving your couch,” says Anson. “It can reduce stress and give you the same health benefits as deep relaxation and meditation.”
She points to a 2009 study at the University of Sussex, which found that even six minutes of daily reading can reduce stress levels by 68%. “Other studies have shown that regular readers report better sleep, less stress, higher self-esteem and lower rates of depression than nonreaders,” she adds.
4. It boosts your vocabulary
Even if it’s been decades since you had to worry about the SATs, you can still use both novels and nonfiction books to expand your mental dictionary. Researchers estimate that we learn 5% to 15% of all the words we know through reading, according to a Scholastic report.
Of course, audiobooks have an edge over paper-and-ink novels here. That’s because stumbling across a new-to-you word in a book might help you decipher the word’s definition, but it might not help you pronounce it properly. Research supports this too: One Irish study found that 9-month-old babies whose caregivers read aloud to them had a stronger expressive vocabulary at age 3 than those who were not read to as infants.
5. It boosts mental wellness
Reading supports mental wellness, says Newman, and it’s not hard to understand why. Who hasn’t finished a feel-good book and, well, felt better? Great stories can transport us to a happier place on tough days. But even less-rosy tales have a place: Well-rounded characters with relatable struggles help us feel less alone.
Teens who report reading often also report having better mental health, according to Scholastic’s Kids & Family Reading Report. Other results that show the mental health benefits of reading: 30% of infrequent readers reported feeling lonely compared with just 19% of frequent readers.
“A love of reading can be a powerful tool in supporting mental health, including boosting self-esteem, increasing empathy and mitigating anxiety and depression,” says Newman.
6. It develops empathy
“Numerous studies have shown that readers of fiction books tend to empathize better with others,” says Anson. “Reading about an experience allows a person to feel the same feelings as someone actually going through that experience.”
Keith Oatley, an author and professor emeritus of cognitive psychology at the University of Toronto, was involved in one of the studies of how fiction develops empathy. “The more fiction in the form of novels and short stories that people read, the better became their empathy and understanding of others,” he says.
With fiction, we step into someone else’s perspective. This helps us understand how and why people with personalities or values different from our own might act the way they do, says Oatley. This, in turn, helps us respond with more understanding and empathy to people in the real world.
Plus, guessing—with accuracy!—what other humans might be thinking or feeling is kind of like a secret superpower, says Anson. It can certainly help you become a better friend and leader.
7. It’s a great motivator
Have you ever finished a great book and felt inspired by what you read? Maybe it’s a YA book that follows a main character’s growth from a shy wallflower to a confident heroine. It could be that a protagonist’s romantic mishaps shine a light on fixes for your own relationship miscommunications. Or that a self-help book‘s story of a brave request for a promotion motivates you to schedule a meeting with your boss.
Compelling books may motivate readers of all ages, but Newman says there’s proof that reading actually leads to higher achievement at school. “According to the Scholastic Home Libraries white paper, just 21 minutes a day of reading outside of school results in higher scores on reading achievement tests,” she reports.
8. It helps you sleep better
Sure, sometimes nail-biting true-crime books keep you up at night. And many a book lover has succumbed to the allure of “just one more chapter,” only to continue straight through to the end. But one of the surprising benefits of reading is that books can help you sleep better.
“Turning off electronic screens and settling into a book before bedtime can improve sleep quality,” says Anson. “The soft glow of the bedside lamp replaces the harsh blue light of devices, signaling your brain that it’s time to wind down.”
Of course, this benefit applies only to physical books. Research published in the journal PLOS One shows that screen time can cut down on quality sleep at night. In other words, it might be a good idea to limit e-reader use to daytime.
9. It could give your workout more staying power
Like the latest single from Taylor Swift or a binge-worthy Netflix show, books make great company during a workout. But have you ever considered that one of the benefits of reading a page-turner is that it keeps your mind occupied for longer while your body sweats it out?
Next time you hit the treadmill or elliptical, take a great thriller or mystery with you. Fast-paced fiction can occupy your mind and drive you to finish just another chapter before ending your workout for the day. And don’t worry: If reading while running is beyond your skill level (we relate), there are always audiobooks.
10. It builds community
“Reading is a solitary act that can build community,” says Anson. Think about it: Even if you read a book alone, you can share the experience and your opinions of the story with anyone else who has read the same book. Reading leads to book clubs and bedtime stories, fan fiction and forums. Join a group like, say, the Reader’s Digest book club, and you don’t just get book chats and recommendations; you get a community of like-minded individuals.
Plus, reading can be a great way to bond with the little ones in your life. Newman says Scholastic’s research found that 92% of parents and their children think reading aloud is a special way to spend time together.
11. It helps you learn new things
Want to learn something new every day? Open a book—any book. “Reading helps kids understand the world around them,” says Newman. “The majority of parents … believe reading fiction and nonfiction is important for their child.”
It’s true: Almost any book can teach you new things. Great travel books can teach you about new languages and cultures. Certain self-help books can teach you a thing or two about communication and relationships. Anson calls “how-to” books the original Google and says reading nonfiction is “like having a conversation with the world’s experts without them interrupting you to check their phones.”
Of course, we also learn new things from fiction, though in a more roundabout way. Fiction can make you feel like you’re experiencing something new: A new place, a new type of character, a new perspective. “Unlike persuasion, as in advertising and political speeches, literary fiction invites people to think for themselves,” says Oatley.
How often do you have to read to reap the benefits?
Unfortunately, there’s no magic answer to exactly how often you need to pick up a book to experience the benefits of reading. It’s more about reading regularly than clocking a certain number of minutes per day.
“Try to plan three to four times a week when you can read with minimal disruptions,” suggests Anson.
It sounds obvious, but Newman suggests that one of the keys to reading more often is enjoying the activity. So if you’re struggling to find time to read three or four times a week, try getting pickier about your reading material. Is the biography on your nightstand boring you? It may not be a matter of learning how to focus properly. Just try a different book—maybe historical fiction or an easy, breezy rom-com.
“Each reading moment, when it creates a sense of ‘book joy,’ leads to the next, and together they build a frequent reader,” says Newman.
How to enjoy reading
Not everyone develops a childhood love of books, and that’s OK. It’s never too late to become a regular reader. If you want to read more books—and actually enjoy it!—we have a few tips for you.
- Stop buying books you “should” read. Required reading lists, begone! I’ll let you in on a little secret: Back when I taught high school English, some of the books I was required to assign to students made me groan. Not all classic novels are page-turners, and not all great reads are highly intellectual. Give yourself permission to pick up the book you want to read, regardless of whether it has won any awards or rave reviews from book critics.
- Ask a trusted friend for book recommendations. Just because you don’t enjoy reading doesn’t mean you don’t have friends who love getting lost in a great book. Ask a trusted friend who knows you well what they think you should read next. Listing some of your favorite Netflix series or movies might help point them toward recommendations in a genre you love.
- Read what your favorite authors are reading. Generally speaking, writers are voracious readers. So pick up your go-to authors’ favorite books—many recommend titles they love on social media.
- Get a library card. There’s no way I have the budget or space to buy every book I read. Thanks to libraries, I can have thousands of books at my fingertips for free. Aside from cost and convenience, library books are great because they give you a free pass to DNF (that’s book-world speak for “did not finish”) a book. Don’t love that novel? Return it (giving someone else a chance to enjoy it) and swap it out for something new.
- Join a book club. Book clubs are a fun place to discuss everything you loved—or disliked!—about your latest read. They’re also like accountability buddies for reading. Another thing: You’ll never get stuck on what to read next when you’re part of a book club.
What to read to reap the benefits
Want to experience the benefits of reading? There are so many books to choose from! For instance, when my mood could use a boost, I reach for an easy beach read or a cozy mystery. They tend to be quick, comforting books with happy endings.
Here are a few comforting reads to snag from your local library or bookstore:
If you want to increase your emotional intelligence by cultivating empathy, Oatley suggests looking to fiction. And instead of picking up a novel with a protagonist who looks or sounds like you, aim for a different perspective. Look for books by authors or with characters whose backgrounds differ from yours. A few suggestions:
Want to make some new friends? Join an in-person or online book club. Research suggests that joining an intergenerational book club can help older adults cash in on two significant benefits of reading: community and protection against cognitive decline, which can be exacerbated by social isolation.
Of course, mysteries and nonfiction books can give your brain a good workout. The same goes for self-help books, which also offer motivation and inspiration.
Bottom line: Don’t overthink it. The best book for you to read is the one that piques your interest. Almost every genre can benefit you in some way. So if you want to reap the benefits of reading today, stop asking which book is best—just start reading!
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About the experts
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Why trust us
At Reader’s Digest, we’ve been sharing our favorite books for over 100 years. We’ve worked with bestselling authors including Susan Orlean, Janet Evanovich and Alex Haley, whose Pulitzer Prize–winning Roots grew out of a project funded by and originally published in the magazine. Through Fiction Favorites (formerly Select Editions and Condensed Books), Reader’s Digest has been publishing anthologies of abridged novels for decades. We’ve worked with some of the biggest names in fiction, including James Patterson, Ruth Ware, Kristin Hannah and more. The Reader’s Digest Book Club, helmed by Books Editor Tracey Neithercott, introduces readers to even more of today’s best fiction by upcoming, bestselling and award-winning authors. For this piece on the benefits of reading, Leandra Beabout tapped her experience as a longtime journalist who has written dozens of articles about books for Reader’s Digest to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Keith Oatley, FRSC, FBPsS, award-winning novelist and professor emeritus of cognitive psychology at the University of Toronto; interviewed, August 2024
- Judy Newman, literacy advocate, chief impact officer at Scholastic and former president of Scholastic Book Clubs; interviewed, November 2023
- Diana Anson, LCSW, psychotherapist and professor of psychology at the College of Southern Nevada; interviewed, November 2023
- Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports: “Effects of 2-year dietary and physical activity intervention on cognition in children—a nonrandomized controlled trial”
- International Psychogeriatrics: “Reading activity prevents long-term decline in cognitive function in older people: evidence from a 14-year longitudinal study”
- Frontiers in Psychology: “Reading Habits Among Older Adults in Relation to Level and 15-Year Changes in Verbal Fluency and Episodic Recall”
- Scholastic: “Kids & Family Reading Report”
- Scholastic: “Home Libraries”
- PLOS One: “Screen use, sleep duration, daytime somnolence, and academic failure in school-aged adolescents”
- Journal of Research in Personality: “Bookworms versus nerds: Exposure to fiction versus non-fiction, divergent associations with social ability, and the simulation of fictional social worlds”
- Early Childhood Research Quarterly: “Unique effects of book-reading at 9-months on vocabulary development at 36-months: Insights from a nationally representative sample of Irish families”
- Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine: “How an Intergenerational Book Club Can Prevent Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: A Pilot Study”
Originally Published: August 26, 2019
