Reading for Pleasure Linked to Better Brain Health From Childhood to Old Age

Reading for fun is linked to better attention and memory in children, fewer mental health problems, and a lower risk of cognitive decline later in life. That is the case made in an editorial published September 15 in the journal Psychological Medicine.²

The editorial does not report a new experiment. Cambridge psychiatrists Barbara Sahakian and Christelle Langley and Vicki Perrin, CEO of the charity The Queen’s Reading Room, pulled together earlier surveys and long-term, brain-imaging and behavioral studies. The authors say plainly that most of that evidence shows associations, not cause and effect.²⁴

Even with that limit, the overall picture is worth knowing. Reading is cheap, possible at almost any age, and, in this case, by definition something people enjoy. “Reading is a great way to support our brain health, develop important cognitive skills and boost our wellbeing,” Sahakian said in the University of Cambridge’s announcement.¹

Sahakian and Langley got onto the subject while writing their 2025 book, Brain Boost: Healthy Habits for a Happier Life, and were surprised by how little research existed. Cambridge and Perrin’s charity are now working together to highlight reading for pleasure as part of the National Year of Reading.¹

What the studies found

The editorial leans heavily on an earlier study by Sahakian, Langley and colleagues of 10,243 adolescents. About 52% had read for pleasure early in childhood. Those kids showed better attention, memory and executive function (the mental skills behind planning, focusing and self-control), along with fewer mental health problems, more sleep, less screen time and higher educational attainment. The links held after accounting for household income and parents’ education.¹²

For older adults, the evidence includes a five-year study of 5,437 cognitively healthy people aged 55 and over. Those who often did mentally demanding activities such as reading were significantly less likely to develop cognitive impairment. In a 14-year study of 1,962 adults over 64, reading at least weekly was linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline at every education level. And a 2002 study of 801 people aged 65 and over associated stimulating activities, reading among them, with a 33% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.¹²

Surveys cited in the editorial tie reading to less stress, more empathy and less loneliness. Reading was the most popular way to unwind, chosen by 38% of adults, and more people turned to a book for comfort (35%) than to a glass of wine (31%). The hot bath came a distant third, at 10%. The authors note that these survey answers are self-reported and probably lean toward people who already read regularly.²

Brain scans link reading to larger volumes in areas used for language, learning, emotional control and executive control. Most of that is correlational too, though a small study of 11 children with dyslexia found structural changes after a reading program.²

Practical takeaways

Read what you actually like. The authors argue it doesn’t much matter what or how you read. Their definition covers print and digital books, eBooks, magazines, comics and graphic novels, though the editorial does not test each format on its own.¹²

For kids, start with what they love. Reading among children and teens is at its lowest level since records began, especially among boys aged 11 to 16. About two in five young people said they are motivated to read when the material connects to a favorite film, TV series or hobby. Langley suggests a show or game can be a way in. “Reading comics and graphic novels could also be a helpful introduction as they might be seen as less intimidating, maybe less boring, than novels,” she said in the Cambridge announcement.¹²

Read with other people. “Shared reading groups and book clubs appear to provide additional benefits through social interaction,” Sahakian said. A review of 11 studies concluded that shared reading among older adults improved wellbeing and reduced loneliness and isolation.¹²

Start whenever. In Sahakian’s words, “it’s never too late to start, and it can bring benefits throughout our lives and into old age.”¹

The authors say the brain mechanisms behind these links are not fully understood, and that more experimental research is needed to show whether reading itself causes the benefits.²