Between social media and online articles, it may have been a while since you picked up a book. However, if you’re proud to call yourself a bookworm, you might be on to something, as research shows that reading can stave off dementia.
Just an hour before the doctor called it a day, he decided to reach for a book.
Speaking on his Just One Thing podcast, he said: “Taking time out of your day to read a novel can have impressive benefits, improving brain connectivity, creating new neural pathways and even protecting against dementia.”
If you already enjoy getting lost in the pages of good fiction, great.
However, if reading isn’t your thing, the study might convince you to give it a try.
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Dr Moseley said: “Best of all, it can protect against cognitive decline as we age.
“Studies from China, Taiwan and the US have found that reading every day can protect against dementia.
“And if all that isn’t enough to convince you to pick up a novel, pick this up, reading has not only helped keep you mentally fit as you age, it may even be the key to a longer life.”
In fact, reading has been linked to a variety of benefits ranging from mental health to empathy.
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Dr Marr said: “This is leisure reading. You do this to relax.
“You don’t want to feel like you’re forcing yourself to do something like some hard homework.”
If reading isn’t something you already do, Dr. Moseley encourages incorporating reading into the next chapter of your life.
“Your brain, your empathy, and even your mental health can benefit,” Dr. Moseley concluded.
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