Is reading actually good for the brain?

Image: Pepper Young

I don’t consider myself to be someone who lives an extremely healthy lifestyle; I rarely get 10,000 steps in a day, I almost always have something sweet after dinner (and usually lunch too), and I regularly forget to do my skincare before bed. However, one thing that I do daily is read, and although I don’t really think much of it other than just enjoying the stories, when it comes to the 1st of January and I see people post their new year’s resolutions, it makes me realise how healthy of a habit I actually have. By this I am referring to the new goals set, or the new challenges faced (’75 hard’ etc), where reading a book is considered a beneficial factor to a good lifestyle. But just how beneficial is it?

There are many common benefits to reading, but not everyone finds themselves to be a ‘good reader’, especially in recent years, where attention spans have dropped to an all time low. In fact the average reading time of an online article is only 55 seconds.

Everyone has been a culprit of the morning scroll, when you first wake up and roll over to check any ‘exciting’ news that you missed whilst asleep. The issue with this is that scrolling on your phone first thing in the morning creates a short-term dopamine rush, furthermore, every time you receive a notification it activates the brain’s reward system, and in turn sends our limbic system (the part of the brain that controls our behavioural and emotional responses) into this loop of constant pleasure seeking.

“In fact the average reading time of an online article is only 55 seconds.”

My point is, this is why it is so easy to become addicted to our phones, and in turn, why so many of our generation find picking up a book to be so difficult, because for new readers there isn’t that immediate dopamine feeling. 

The thing is though, our brains are smart, and they like to be smart, so if you can pick up a book and stick with it, your brain will reward you with long term positive effects rather than a 5 minute rush. We all know how the TikTok algorithm is designed to draw you in, but books are actually designed with the same intention.

The way that the story has a structure, with the beginning, middle, and end, is actually really nice to our brains as we like to think in a sequence. The more you read, the more our brains will adapt to this way of thinking.

“The thing is though, our brains are smart, and they like to be smart…”

Many different studies have been conducted to see what reading actually does for your brain, for example, Boston Children’s Hospital found that reading will strengthen the white matter in your brain. This means you are able to process information more efficiently and therefore learn faster as you find it easier to comprehend visual and audio cues. So simply put, if you read books you are growing your brain and you’ll be more intelligent.

Similarly, reading can also boost your creativity and imagination. When reading a book, you are responsible for creating the images of the story in your head. When an author describes something to you and you are able to picture that in your mind, you are ‘exercising’ the Occipital Lobe which is responsible for processing visual perception. As this expands, the more creative and imaginative you become. Additionally, this part of your brain has a lot to do with decision-making, so as it gets stronger, it will also mean you can make better judgements.

The most commonly known positive side effect of reading is probably to help people relax and get away from their busy lives. Often known as ‘bibliotherapy’, reading has been known to help relieve symptoms of depression, while also reducing stress as effectively as yoga. This is because when you are immersed in a book your brain has time to slow down. Sussex University found that within 6 minutes of being absorbed in a book your heart rate slows, your blood pressure lowers, and your muscles begin to loosen up. This is why reading before bed can substantially improve your sleep quality and the time it takes you to nod off.

 Finally, studies have shown that the extra stimulation that reading gives the brain can ‘slow’ the aging process as it reduces the speed at which your brain function declines, and even has the potential to reduce your chances of developing age related illnesses like Alzheimer’s. So to conclude, it’s clear that reading is a workout for the entire brain, and similarly to keeping our body in shape, it will make you a stronger and healthier person.

Written by Pepper Young

Edited by Isabel Butler