The Surprising Health Benefits of Reading for Pleasure

There are neuroimaging studies to back up that finding, she continues. “When you read fiction, particularly stories that are rich in social content, it activates areas in the brain that we know are involved in social cognition, areas that always come up when you’re doing studies of theory of mind or understanding things from other people’s point of view,” she says. 

Surveys indicate a link to stress reduction as well. “With reducing stress, it seems to happen really quickly,” Sahakian says. “If you get engrossed in a book, then your mind and your attention are really focused on reading and the content, which means it takes your attention away from other things. You don’t start ruminating about problems that you have…you forget all of that. So it’s a little bit like mindfulness in that regard, because the attention is so focused.” 

Some of the research Sahakian finds most exciting focuses on older people’s reading habits. She refers to one study in Taiwan that followed people over age 64 for 14 years.  “People who just read once a week had a significantly reduced risk of cognitive decline over that 14-year period, and importantly, it didn’t relate to educational levels,” she says. “What is so good about reading is that you get these benefits regardless of socio-economic background or educational level. It will improve your brain. It will improve your cognition. It will improve your well-being,” she says.