5 ways reading benefits your brain health for over 65s

Independent

27-01-2025

Cognitive thinking abilities, such as planning and organising, remembering, making decisions and more, all affect how well we do everyday tasks, and whether we can live independently or not.
However, as we age, changes in these abilities are common, which may impact the speed of how we find words and recall names, cause problems with multitasking, and lead to a decrease in the ability to pay attention.
We now have a lot of advancements in place to help keep our bodies healthy, but not a lot for our brains, says Dr Amir-Homayoun Javadi, associate professor in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Kent.
'This is why we are having more Alzheimer's and dementia cases than before, because our bodies tend to live longer, and our brains are basically not keeping up,' he says.
Javadi says that simply taking up the act of reading can be one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy.
Statistics from The Reading Agency show that benefits of reading can help those suffering with dementia, as it helps to keep a sense of identity, encourages reminiscing, and sharing of new ideas through a connection with stories and information.
But what other benefits are there to reading for those over the age of 65?
Preventing cognitive decline
Studies have found that 10-20% of people over the age of 65 have mild cognitive impairment, with 10-20% of that group going on to develop dementia over a one-year period.
However, one of the things about reading and keeping your mind active is the concept of cognitive enhancement, or at least preventing cognitive decline, says medical doctor Dr Charlotte Lee-Sinclair.
'Repeated stimulation of neuron connections through acts such as reading strengthens synaptic connections. You can form new synapses and prune unnecessary ones,' says Sinclair.
'You can also get remapping where, if there is some damage in your brain, undamaged areas can start taking over the functions of damaged ones. Therefore you start to see improvement of what we call fluid cognition.'
'This means the abilities that allow us to problem solve, plan and operate in the modern world, will all improve.'
Stress reduction
A survey by Ciphr of 2,000 UK adults, found that 86% of people feel stressed at least once a month, and as many as 1 in 9 (11%) experience stress every day.
However, Sinclair says reading helps you to wind down and destress.
'We are all obsessed with our phones, so having the opportunity to just create a bit of a wind-down routine and also activate your brain in such a way that is more relaxing, just helps you with things like stress.'
Social connection
Research from Age UK, shows that 270,000 people aged 65 and over in England go a week without speaking to a friend or family member, and 1 in 14 older people in the UK are often lonely.
However, the social aspect of reading can be both a solution for loneliness and your brain health.
'If you are part of a book club, or a discussion group that involves reading, after reading the book and discussing with other people, it will massively active a lot of different brain areas,' Javadi says.
'Most importantly however, it puts you within a social context which is super important for a healthy brain and better cognition.'
Improved sleep
According to Javadi, sleep disorders are common in Alzheimer's, with some studies showing that sleep disorders can often come before Alzheimier's.
Studies have associated several sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), insomnia, and disrupted sleep-wake cycles to an increased risk of cognitive impairment.
A 2021 online study, conducted over social media, asked 496 participants to read a book in bed before sleeping, and 495 participants to not read a book before sleeping. After a week, 42% of readers felt their sleep improved compared to only 28% of the non-readers reporting better sleep.
'Having a good sleep can be preventative of dementia and sleep disorders,' says Javadi.
'Reading is a great way to regulate your sleep time as compared to watching TV or being on your phone.'
Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is being massively affected by reading, says Javadi.
Making judgements of the characters in a story, or comparing and mirroring your experience with others helps maintain a healthy brain, he says.
'In comparison to watching TV, when you are basically going with the flow, you rarely pause to stop and reflect and think about what's happening, compared to when you are reading,' Javadi says.
'Reading provides opportunities that are unique, it is totally under your control and becomes a safe space for you to think about things and also reflect.'