Reading Your Way to Good Health

April 28, 2022 | Blog | Reading Time 2:00 Minutes

Reading: It’s good for you 

Shipley provides opportunities to read

Whether you plowed through your to-be-read pile throughout the pandemic or last picked up a book during your school days, there’s no time like the present to cozy up with a good book. In fact, there are many benefits to starting and/or establishing a regular reading habit.  

Just like getting in regular exercise and establishing healthy eating habits can help maintain your physical health, a growing amount of research has found reading a book also can help improve your health over time.  

The National Institute on Aging recommends reading books and magazines to help prevent cognitive issues as you get older. And a study by Rush University Medical Center found people who engaged in mentally stimulating activities like reading all their lives lowered their risk of developing dementia.  

Even when you learned how to read can make a difference. For instance, learning how to read at a young age could reduce your risk of developing dementia. The study published in the journal Neurology looked at adults who live in the Dominican Republic who completed four or less years of schooling. After adjusting for age, socioeconomic status and cardiovascular disease, researchers found people who were illiterate were three times more likely to have dementia. 

You can help model literacy for the young readers in your life by reading them stories or taking them to a library or bookstore. When it comes to which format from which to read, research published in Pediatrics found adults and toddlers interacted less when reading electronic books compared to print books. For instance, kids more actively engaged by pointing at pictures in the books.  

Looking for ideas on what to read? Check out Goodreads, a website where readers can share books they enjoy reading as well as look for book recommendations. You also can sign up for the Staff Picks newsletter or pick up a hard copy at any of the New Castle Libraries including the Brandywine Hundred Library and the Newark Free Library.  

Your next great read could be just steps away at the on-site libraries at Foulk Living, Shipley Living, and Millcroft senior living. At Foulk Living, there’s a walking path that leads to the Brandywine Hundred Library that’s right next door.  

If you’re looking to chat with fellow book lovers, the Greater Wilmington-Newark Book Club might be for you. This casual book club meets monthly to discuss contemporary fiction and non-fiction.