THE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF READING

BY PSCHOLOGYTODAY.COM

Despite recent controversies over which books should line the shelves of schools and libraries, there is little debate that literature EXPANDS THE MIND.

But can the act of reading also IMPROVE OUR MENTAL HEALTH and well being?

Researchers are investigating the impact of READING EXPERIENCES and reporting evidence of promising MENTAL AND SOCIAL HEALTH BENEFITS. Whether reading alone or with others, people are finding connection and meaning between the pages, giving their mental health a boost along the way. Now practitioners are exploring new models using the literary arts to support mental health in clinics, classrooms, and communities worldwide.

THE SCIENCE BACKED BENEFITS OF READING

Getting wrapped up in a good book is GOOD FOR OUR HEALTH.

The experience of being immersed or engaged while reading a story is called narrative absorption and serves as more than an innately pleasurable experience—it can also ENHANCE OUR SENSE OF WELLBEING. Researchers believe that mentally transporting ourselves away from our physical surroundings can provide an escape or opportunity for meaningful contemplation.

Reading not only provides these opportunities, but it also helps us make sense of our worlds. In one neuroimaging study, participants who read more narrative fiction had greater activation of parts of the prefrontal cortex involved in perspective-taking when reading text containing social context.

This greater activation may partially explain the correlation between lifetime reading and the ability to understand how people are thinking. A good story tends to stick with you, too—and so do the benefits:

The health impacts of reading last long after we put down the book, with some research showing REDUCTIONS IN DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS persisting months or even years later in adults.

READING CAN HELP MAKE LIFE MORE WORTH LIVING.

Reading Builds Bridges to Understanding Ourselves and Others

In a time of pronounced isolation and disconnection caused by the pandemic, reading fiction, in particular, may also help to foster greater empathy and social cognition.

One seminal study found that frequent fiction readers were associated with better social ability and that the tendency to get absorbed in a story correlated with higher empathy scores. These results have been replicated, and a meta-analysis found that lifetime exposure to narrative fiction was associated with more perspective-taking and empathy.

Reading and responding to fiction may foster young peoples' understanding of human nature and their place in the world, especially if the texts are thematically relevant and COUPLED WITH WRITING ACTIVITIES that reflect on personal experiences related to the reading. Identifying with characters going through similar experiences can comfort readers, knowing that they are not alone in their struggles or pain.

“LITERATURE, like many ART FORMS, helps us talk about difficult or sensitive issues, and it gives us a starting point for new conversations,” said Tasha Golden, Ph.D., director of research at INTERNATIONAL ARTS + MIND LAB at JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY. “At a time when young people are suffering and seeking support — from their communities and from one another — we have to consider how THE ARTS can help generate connection, creativity and dialogue.”