According to a 12-yr. research study (published in 2026) readers may live as much as 20% longer than nonreaders.
The study states that reading produces changes in “brain structure, emotional intelligence, and long term-health”.
Scientists say the human brain is capable of repeatedly reorganizing itself.
And one of the most powerful drivers of brain reorganization is reading.
These changes are mostly found in the brain’s left hemisphere, in which white matter pathways connect comprehension, visual processing, and language.
And guess what?
Reading fiction in particular, helps readers socially, in that they better understand how others feel (empathize).
All of these benefits can be due to reading only one chapter, or 30 minutes per day!
brenda poulos 