Reading vs Brain Health

Reading is also associated with better well-being and slower cognitive decline in older adults. Credit: Pexels. Source Fiction gives people tools to navigate the social world and find meaning in life, and research suggests that it may also help extend their lives. Among more than 3,500 older adults in a nationally representative U.S. sample, those who read books survived 23 months longer than nonreaders, measured when 20% of each group had died. The association was much stronger for books than for newspapers or magazines. The study did not distinguish between fiction and nonfiction, but 87% of the book readers in the group read fiction. Scientists have long known that people who engage with the arts tend to retain sharper memories and stronger mental control into later life. Reading fits this pattern. Earlier studies have found cognitive benefits from both fiction and nonfiction, but fiction may bring an extra benefit because it can serve as a stand-in for social engagement. The novel…