The Benefits of Reading: Improve Your Emotional Intelligence, Delay Dementia, and Connect with Others
Reading is a powerful tool that has been proven to have numerous benefits for our mental and emotional well-being. According to BBC Teach, reading can improve our emotional intelligence, delay the onset of dementia, and stimulate neural pathways in our brains. It’s no wonder that reading has been called a “calming pastime” and a “rewarding hobby” by experts. In fact, even just reading for half an hour each week can increase our health and well-being, boost our confidence and self-esteem, and reduce feelings of loneliness.
The best part is, reading doesn’t have to be expensive. You can easily borrow books from libraries for free, including audiobooks and digital versions. So, if reading was on your New Year’s resolution list, you’ve made a great choice.
However, for some people, picking up a book and getting lost in its pages isn’t as simple as it sounds. Reading can be daunting, especially if it’s been a while since you last enjoyed a good book. For individuals with conditions such as dyslexia and ADHD, reading can feel like an uphill climb. But don’t worry, there is hope.
In an article published by The Conversation, two experts from Kingston University, Paty Paliokosta, associate professor of special and inclusive education, and Alison Baverstock, professor of publishing, shared their advice on how to get back into reading in a way that works for you.
For many people with dyslexia and ADHD, reading has always been a challenge and this feeling of exclusion often carries into adulthood. Both children and adults with these conditions have reported lower levels of enjoyment of reading compared to their peers. The experts note that this can be exacerbated by the “systemic school approaches and priorities that associate reading with national and international tests”. As a result, reading becomes more of a performance metric than a source of pleasure.
But the good news is that simple changes can make a big difference. The experts suggest altering the physical properties of the books you read or choosing graphic novels that use accessible fonts, layouts, and language. Audiobooks can also be a great option as neuroscience research has shown that our brain represents meaning in a similar way whether we are listening or reading.
Audiobooks are particularly helpful for those who find sitting down with a book to be under-stimulating. They can be consumed like podcasts or playlists, in short bursts of time while doing other tasks like housework or commuting.
Reading doesn’t have to be a solitary act either. The Reading Agency states that reading independently allows us to project our thoughts, feelings, and emotions onto a story. However, book clubs can expand on this experience by introducing us to new perspectives and challenging our interpretations. Whether it’s new releases, classics, or hidden gems, being part of a book club can introduce us to a whole new world of narratives and themes beyond our own scope.
If joining a book club isn’t your thing, you can still connect with others through online communities like the Reddit /r/books community. This is a great way to talk about books you’ve read and learn about others’ opinions. It’s also a great way to reduce feelings of loneliness.
It’s important to remember that reading is supposed to be enjoyable. If your first instinct is to pick up a classic book or a research-heavy textbook, make sure that you are reading what you want to read and not what you think you should be reading. Professor Baverstock, who started the charity Reading Force, which promotes shared reading to keep military families connected, encourages making reading fun rather than a laborious and compulsory task. The charity emphasizes the importance of emotional satisfaction when reading something you truly enjoy, rather than something that feels imposed upon you.
Another important aspect of reading is finding stories that represent you. While reading can help us learn about other people’s perspectives and experiences, it can also provide insight and comfort within our own lives when we feel represented. The BookTrust states that diverse, inclusive, and representative literature can help young readers see themselves, different lives and cultures, and the world around them in the stories they read.
So, let’s make 2026 the year of reading. Whether you’re an avid reader or someone who struggles with reading, there are countless benefits to picking up a book. So why not give it a try? And remember, it’s not about how many books
