Unlocking the Power of Fiction: Explore the Health Benefits of Reading
“Books and doors are the same thing. You open them, and you go through into another world.” – Jeanette Winterson
There really is nothing I love more than curling up in my favourite blanket with a good book in hand and an endless supply of tea. What makes it even better is if the Scottish weather lives up to its name and we have thunderous rain outside.
Did you know that this cosy little hobby comes with its own health benefits? According to scientific research, reading fiction can improve empathy, reduce stress levels, enhance cognitive functions, and boost mental health.
Want to know more about the health benefits of reading fiction? Keep reading and together we can explore five ways that reading fiction can enhance your life today!
After all, who doesn’t need more reasons to keep adding to their TBR shelf 😉?
Improved Empathy
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” – Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
Reading fiction has many benefits, one being improved empathy. Readers of fiction can understand different perspectives and gain insight into a diverse range of characters, providing emotional connection and increasing real-life empathy.
Reading fiction can improve empathy because it simulates social experiences, allowing readers to see the world through the eyes of others. By experiencing characters’ thought processes and emotions, readers can develop empathy towards others (Timmins, 2018).
Research has found that reading fiction and becoming immersed in fictional worlds can reduce social distance and enhance human sympathies (Slater et al., 2014). By gaining insight into a range of characters and their inner thoughts and feelings, readers foster greater empathy, which can have a significantly positive impact on society.
Further research found that fiction influences the reader’s empathy, regardless of whether they experience low or high emotional transportation into the story. In this study, the process of gaining greater empathy occurred over the course of just one week (Bal & Veltkamp, 2013). This finding is significant because it demonstrates that even a short period of engaging with fiction can have a measurable impact on empathy.
Stress Reduction
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body” – Joseph Addison
A sign of a good book is when readers feel transported into the fictional world, leaving the real world behind them. The escapism achieved is one reason why reading fiction is an excellent stress reliever.
Diving into a book allows for a mental break and rejuvenates our minds. By immersing ourselves in the words of a good book, we can lower stress levels and become more relaxed (Kennedy, 2023).
I recently asked my followers on Instagram what time of the day they preferred reading and found that majority of people prefer reading late at night, and a few like reading in the early morning. Interestingly, a 2009 study conducted by the University of Sussex found that reading for as little as 6 minutes per day can reduce stress by up to 68% (Lewis, 2009). Incorporating a bit of reading into your morning or nightly routine could significantly decrease your stress levels.
The same study referenced in the early section on empathy, found further evidence supporting the idea that stories provide a coping mechanism for high stress levels. The study revealed that people seek out stories during times of developmental changes such as early childhood, leaving home, or retirement, as well as during episodes of personal threat such as relationship deterioration or significant setbacks. During these times, individuals experience heightened enjoyment within fictional narratives as they offer a temporary escape from the stresses of the outside world (Slater et al., 2014). This insight encourages readers to see fiction not just as entertainment, but as a valuable resource for navigating life’s challenges.
Cognitive Benefits
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” – Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
There are numerous cognitive improvements to be gained from reading fiction, including enhanced imagination, creative thinking, improved vocabulary and language skills, better concentration and focus, and improved cognitive ability among older individuals (Timmins, 2018).
One benefit that particularly stood out to me during my research for this blog was the cognitive advantages that reading fiction can bring into people’s lives, especially for older individuals.
Having worked as a carer for elderly people and having witnessed various cases of dementia and Alzheimer’s, I am deeply interested in understanding the factors that can positively impact the mind over the course of our lives, as well as those that can have detrimental effects.
An intriguing study investigating whether reading can prevent long-term decline in cognitive function among older adults revealed affirmative results. The study, conducted over a fourteen-year period, found that frequent reading activity was associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline (Chang et al., 2021). This could be attributed to the mental stimulation and engagement that reading provides.
Having enhanced imagination is imperative to problem-solving and planning and with avid reading, comes a great imagination. Albert Einstein once said, “the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination”. Research has shown that imagination generates new synaptic growth allowing for improving neuroplasticity of the brain which can potentially, increase the brains cognitive powers (Kwik Learning, 2020). By recognising the importance of imagination within cognitive development we can see why imaginative pursuits should be a lifelong learning journey.
Mental Health
“We read to know we are not alone.” – C.S. Lewis
With 1 in 7 people in the UK experiencing mental health problems each year, it is fundamental to have numerous resources in place to aid people on their journeys of recovery (Braithwaite, 2024). A very cost-effective way to improve mental health, alongside appropriate therapies and services, is reading.
Bibliotherapy, a therapeutic approach using books and other literature to support mental health, often utilises fiction books. Research has found that reading and discussing literature within groups helps patients understand other perspectives, and improve self-esteem and self-awareness (Psychology Today, 2022).
Through reading, reflection, and discussion, fiction has been shown to positively impact well-being. When paired with the correct infrastructure to encourage readers to evaluate their experiences, the benefits are even greater (Carney & Robertson, 2022). Meaning that joining a book club could serve a deeper purpose than merely discussing the latest read – you could form connections, improve self-esteem, and reduce loneliness.
Reading fiction is a pleasurable hobby that many find causes time to disappear once they start. As someone who suffers from anxiety and depression and is an avid reader of fiction, I can confirm that the escapism books can provide is a great immediate relief from internal turmoil. Whilst severe anxiety can make it harder to focus on reading compared to calmer days, once I am gripped by a book, I don’t want to leave it or put it down.
Enhanced Social Skills
“There are many little ways to enlarge your world. Love of books is best of all.” – Jacqueline Kennedy
The fifth and final benefit to explore from reading fiction is enhanced social skills. As previously discussed, readers of fiction can gain insight into different perspectives and increase empathy. Additionally, reading can lead to a better understanding of social cues and norms, strengthened communication skills, and an increased ability to navigate social situations through observing character relationships and conflicts (Education Connection, 2018).
Reading about how the different characters in a story communicate with each other can provide valuable insight for learning social cues and norms. Stories can temporarily expand the subjective experience of the personal self, allowing us to break the boundaries of our personal and social self. Through characters, we can live vicariously – slaying zombies or travelling to the past or future – giving us a sense of autonomy and a chance to better understand and empathise with others.
Our identities and self-image need continuous effort for development, and with each story we accommodate the realities, characters, and assumptions of that narrative. Stories offer a release from our social identity, providing a new sense of freedom to explore a complex world that is usually the source of stress and challenge (Slater et al, 2014).
A further study aimed to understand if participants would fulfil their social needs through identification with groups within the fictional world (e.g., Twilight’s vampires and Harry Potter’s wizards). It found that narratives can alleviate loneliness and provide a collective identity that is easily assumed and psychologically rewarding. Books offer readers ample opportunity to tune out and immerse themselves in the fantasy world, including involvement in fandoms and other social connections (Gabriel & Young, 2011).
Empower Yourself: Embrace the Health Benefits of Fiction Reading
“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.” – Anna Quindlen
I love reading and as we can see above, there are many health benefits that come along with fiction reading. Recently, I’ve noticed many people on Reddit forums expressing their interest in reading to aid with their mental health problems. If you are considering jumping into reading, don’t wait any longer – it really might just help!
Reading fiction books has many benefits: enhanced cognitive functions, improved mental health, increased empathy, reduced stress levels, and improved social skills. Whether you are young, elderly, or somewhere in between, it is never too late to take up the hobby of reading. Even just a few minutes per day alongside your morning coffee could do wonders for your mental health and stress levels. In a world where our fingers endlessly scroll for hours, take a few minutes to flick some pages instead.
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Saint Augustine
A book that really hit home for me and continues to impact my daily life is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (I may have mentioned this book once or twice before). This beautifully written book that has allowed me to take a step back and look at my life from a different perspective.
What’s your favourite book that has deeply impacted you? Share in the comments below, and let’s start a conversation about the power of stories.
Bibliography
- Bal, P.M., & Veltkamp, M. (2013). How Does Fiction Reading Influence Empathy? An Experimental Investigation on the Role of Emotional Transportation. PLoS ONE 8(1): e55341. 10.1371/journal.pone.0055341
- Braithwaite, J. (2024). Mental Health Statistics UK 2024. Forth With Life. https://www.forthwithlife.co.uk/blog/mental-health-statistics-uk
- Carney, J., & Robertson, C. (2022). Five studies evaluating the impact on mental health and mood recalling, reading, and discussing fiction. Plos One. doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0266323
- Chang, Y., Wu, I., & Hsiung, C.A. (2021). Reading activity prevents long-term decline in cognitive function in older people: evidence from a 14-year longitudinal study. International Psychogeriatrics. 33(1) 63-74. doi: 10.1017/S1041610220000812
- Education Connection. (2018, April). How Reading Books Improves Social Skills. https://www.education-connection.org/reading-books-improves-social-skills/.
- Gabriel, S., & Young, A.F. (2011). Becoming a Vampire Without Being Bitten: The Narrative Collective Assimilation Hypothesis. Psychological Science, 22(8), 990-994. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25835489
- Kennedy, H. (2023, September). Does Reading Improve Your Health? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/alpha-blog-charlie/202309/does-reading-improve-health
- Kwik Learning. (2020, July). Three Ways Imagination Benefits Brain Health. https://kwiklearning.com/kwik-tips/three-ways-imagination-benefits-brain-health/
- Lewis, D. (2009). Galaxy Stress Research. Mindlab International, Sussex University, UK.
- Psychology Today. (2022, August). Bibliotherapy. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/therapy-types/bibliotherapy.
- Slater, M.D., Johnson, B.K., Cohen, J., Comello, M.L.G., & Ewoldsen, D.R. (2014). Temporarily Expanding the Boundaries of the Self: Motivations for Entering the Story World and Implications for Narrative Effects. Journal of Communication. Journal of Communication. 64(3). 10.1111/jcom.12100
- Timmins, S. (2018, September). Why reading can be good for mental health. MHFA England. https://mhfaengland.org/mhfa-centre/blog/reading-good-mental-health/.
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