Benefits of Reading: What 50 Years of Research Tells Us | Chapterly Blog
Benefits of Reading: What 50 Years of Research Tells Us Quick Answer: Decades of peer-reviewed research show reading delivers measurable benefits: it strengthens brain connectivity (Emory University fMRI study), builds cognitive reserve that slows age-related decline, reduces stress by up to 68 percent in just six minutes (University of Sussex), increases empathy through literary fiction, improves sleep when done in print, and is linked to a 20 percent lower mortality risk over 12 years. The benefits are dose-dependent and consistency-dependent — and you capture far more of them when you retain what you read. See our guide on how to remember what you read. You have probably heard that reading is good for you. Teachers, parents, and self-help authors have been saying it for decades. But when you look at the actual research, the benefits of reading are far more profound and wide-ranging than the general advice suggests. Reading does not just make you more knowledgeable, though it does that. It structurally changes your brain, reduces your stress levels, increases your empathy, improves your sleep, strengthens your analytical thinking, and, according to one major study, may even help you live longer. This article examines the benefits of reading through the...