Benefits Of Reading Books: For Your Physical And Mental Health

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HealthlineSubscribeBenefits of Reading Books: How It Can Positively Affect Your Life

Medically reviewed by Nicole Washington, DO, MPH — Written by Rebecca Joy Stanborough, MFA and Naomi Wilde — Updated on January 23, 2026

Strengthens the brain
Increases empathy
Builds vocabulary
Benefits older adults
Improves sleep
Lengthens lifespan
What to read
Takeaway and 30 days challenge

Reading books has several health benefits. These include strengthening your brain, increasing your ability to empathize, reducing stress, and building your vocabulary.

A woman reads a book on a park bench. — Vertikala/Stocksy United

Reading books benefits both your physical and mental health, and those benefits can last a lifetime. Even if you didn’t fall in love with reading as a kid, it’s never too late to start.

Reading can even be a form of therapy for improving well-being. Bibliotherapy is a complementary therapeutic tool for emotional release and reduced stress and anxiety.

Here’s how reading books can change your brain — and your body — for the better.

Strengthens the brain

Reading involves activity in several parts of the brain, and over time, it may change your brain structure.

One 2020 study found that increased gray matter in the left superior temporal cortex part of the brain was associated with better reading performance in children. Gray matter plays a role in cognitive function.

If you’re reading to your children, research shows that the benefits of physical books outweigh those of tablets.

Books are also a crucial part of maintaining our ability to pay attention to long-form content in a digital world that has shortened our attention span with the infinite feed of short-form media.

»Learn more:12 best books for mental health

Increases empathy

An older 2017 study found that people who read literary fiction show a heightened ability to understand the feelings and beliefs of others.

Researchers refer to this ability as the “theory of mind,” a set of skills essential for building, navigating, and maintaining social relationships.

While a single session of reading fiction isn’t likely to spark this feeling, another older 2017 study shows that long-term fiction readers tend to have a better-developed theory of mind.

»Learn more:Empathy vs. sympathy

Builds vocabulary

Researchers have found that reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge are related. A student with greater reading comprehension is more likely to have a larger vocabulary, and vice versa.

The size of your vocabulary can influence many areas of your life, including:

standardized test scores
college admissions
job opportunities

Improves mental strength in older adults

A 14-year research study found that frequent reading can lead to a slower rate of cognitive decline as we age.

The National Institute on Aging recommends reading books and magazines as a way to keep your mind engaged as you age.

A 2022 study in China also found that reading had a positive effect on the physical and mental health of older individuals. And it provided a social outlet, which had further positive effects.

»Learn more:Learn how your brain changes as you age

Improves sleep

Reading may improve subjective sleep quality in some individuals. It may also reduce the time it takes you to fall asleep and increase the time you spend sleeping.

For best results, consider choosing a print book rather than reading on a screen, as the blue light emitted by your device can keep you awake.

A 2020 study of 200 college students found that recreational reading was associated with reduced stress levels. Managing stress can help you achieve a good night’s rest.

»Try this:Improve your sleep with evening rituals

May help you live longer

An older 2017 study followed a cohort of 3,635 adult participants for 12 years, finding that those who read books survived around 2 years longer than those who either didn’t read or who read magazines and other forms of media.

The study found that people who read books specifically (as opposed to other media, such as newspapers or magazines) had a 20% reduction in mortality.

What should you be reading?

The short answer is: Whatever you can get your hands on.

If you’re pressed for time, devote a few minutes daily to a few paragraphs of a nonfiction book. If you’re looking for an escape, fantasy or historical fiction can transport you out of your own surroundings and into another world altogether.

Research also shows that the nostalgia from rereading favorite books has been shown to enhance emotional well-being and increase social connection.

If possible, don’t read solely on a device. Studies have shown that people who read print books retain slightly more of what they read than those who read the same material digitally.

Get our team’s recommendations

If you’re looking for your next read, our team has you covered! Here are 13 of our current book recommendations — some are related to health and wellness, and some are just for fun.

Takeaway and 30 days challenge

Reading is associated with several health benefits, including improved sleep, reduced stress, and increased longevity.

It’s especially important for children to read as much as possible, because the effects of reading are cumulative. However, it’s never too late to take advantage of the many physical and psychological benefits that reading offers.

30 Days of Winter Wellness

Day 23

Here are some easy ways to start reading more:

Just 10 minutes: Set aside just 10 minutes each morning or night (or both!) to shut out all other distractions (phone on silent) and read a physical book. You could also aim for a certain number of pages per day if that feels better to you.
Browse with fresh eyes: Take a trip to your local library or bookstore and see what sparks your interest. Release any pressure to read things you think you should, and instead focus only on what feels joyful to you. Take home a book you can’t wait to spend time with.
Avoid comparison: Whether you read 3, 30, or 100 books per year, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re reading.
Embrace the DNF: If you’re just not into a book and it feels like a chore to finish, don’t. It’s OK to mark it as a “did not finish.” Move on to something you’ll enjoy.

Catch up on Day 22 of the challenge to learn all about how to do a digital detox

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Bavishi A, et al. (2017). A chapter a day – Association of book reading with longevity.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5105607/
Chang Y-H, et al. (2020). Reading activity prevents long-term decline in cognitive function in older people: evidence from a 14-year longitudinal study. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-psychogeriatrics/article/reading-activity-prevents-longterm-decline-in-cognitive-function-in-older-people-evidence-from-a-14year-longitudinal-study/3AE2A49067C17A4140EEBB49F394AACC
Cognitive health and older adults. (2024). https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/brain-health/cognitive-health-and-older-adults
Finucane E, et al. (2021). Does reading a book in bed make a difference to sleep in comparison to not reading a book in bed? The People’s Trial—an online, pragmatic, randomised trial. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13063-021-05831-3
Heimann M. (2025). Brain activity study showed the benefits of parents reading printed books to their children rather than using tablets.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apa.70083
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Kneuer M, et al. (2024). Psychological effects of reading: The role of nostalgia in re-reading favorite books.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36476079/
Levine SL, et al. (2022). For the love of reading: Recreational reading reduces psychological distress in college students and autonomous motivation is the key. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32150516/
Perdue MV, et al. (2020). Gray matter structure is associated with reading skill in typically developing young readers. https://academic.oup.com/cercor/article/30/10/5449/5850537
Quinn JM, et al. (2020). Differential codevelopment of vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension for students with and without learning disabilities.https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2019-33667-001
Redmann H, et al. (2025). Reading as therapy: medicalising books in an era of mental health austerity. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40447986/
Salmerón L, et al. (2024). Reading comprehension on handheld devices versus on paper: A narrative review and meta-analysis of the medium effect and its moderators. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-16892-001
Samur D, et al. (2018). Does a single session of reading literary fiction prime enhanced mentalising performance? Four replication experiments of Kidd and Castano (2013). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28095740/
Sella E, et al. (2022). How emotions induced by reading influence sleep quality in young and older adults. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13607863.2022.2138266
Zhang W, et al. (2022). Effect and mechanism of reading habits on physical and mental health among the elderly: Evidence from China.https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1031939/full

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Medically reviewed by Nicole Washington, DO, MPH — Written by Rebecca Joy Stanborough, MFA and Naomi Wilde — Updated on January 23, 2026

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