Description
Reading books, fiction or nonfiction, is an essential to broaden our knowledge (1), improve our creativity, and prevent the decline of our mental faculties (2).
How to Do It
Just read one of your favorite author’s books, the latest best-seller, or a non-fictional book!
Benefits
- May reduce stress
- May reduce the risk of dementia (2)
- May increase longevity (4)
- May reduce cognitive decline with age (3)
- May improve intellectual development in children (1)
- May increase empathy (5)
Time Commitment
20 min/day
Why it works
Science shows that by reading books, we can immerse ourselves in novel situations which helps to prevent cognitive decline and increase longevity (4). Reading about a character’s emotional life can also increase empathy by improving our capacity of taking other’s perspectives (5).
Suggested Frequency
Daily
Supporting Studies and Articles
- Ritchie, S. J., Bates, T. C., & Plomin, R. (2015). Does Learning to Read Improve Intelligence? A Longitudinal Multivariate Analysis in Identical Twins From Age 7 to 16. Child Development, 86(1), 23–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12272
- Hughes, T., Chang, C.-C. H., Bilt, J. V., & Ganguli, M. (2010). Engagement in reading and hobbies and risk of incident dementia: The MoVIES Project. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, 25(5), 432–438. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317510368399
- Wilson, R. S., Boyle, P. A., Yu, L., Barnes, L. L., Schneider, J. A., & Bennett, D. A. (2013). Life-span cognitive activity, neuropathologic burden, and cognitive aging. Neurology, 81(4), 314–321. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e31829c5e8a
- Bavishi, A., Slade, M. D., & Levy, B. R. (2016). A chapter a day: Association of book reading with longevity. Social Science & Medicine, 164, 44–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.07.014
- Kidd, D. C., & Castano, E. (2013). Reading Literary Fiction Improves Theory of Mind. Science, 342(6156), 377–380. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1239918
Side Effects
None
Required Equipment
Books
Gurus/Celebrities/Doing it
Warren Buffet
Bill Gates
Elon Musk
Suggested Time of Day
Any time
Great before bed
Notes
- Reading before bed may increase your sleep quality and reduce insomnia.
- If reading non fiction, combine reading with journaling. Take notes when you read and determine actionable steps you can take.
