Clare Hall Fellow Professor Barbara Sahakian and Affiliated Postdoctoral Member Dr Christelle Langley have highlighted the benefits of reading for pleasure for brain health, cognition and mental wellbeing in a new publication in Psychological Medicine.

Writing with Vicki Perrin, CEO of The Queen’s Reading Room, the researchers review evidence suggesting that reading for enjoyment can bring benefits throughout life. In childhood and adolescence, reading for pleasure has been associated with better attention, memory and academic achievement, as well as fewer mental health problems. Among adults, it has been linked to reduced stress, greater empathy and wellbeing, while cognitively stimulating activities such as reading may also be associated with slower cognitive decline and a reduced risk of dementia later in life.

The researchers also highlight the social benefits of reading, with shared reading and book clubs offering opportunities to reduce loneliness and strengthen social connection. They emphasise that reading for pleasure can take many forms, from novels and magazines to comics, graphic novels and digital material.

Read the University of Cambridge story: https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/reading-for-pleasure-and-for-better-health

Read the publication in Psychological Medicine: Reading and associations with brain health, cognition, well-being, and mental health | Psychological Medicine | Cambridge Core