"Most of us read all day texts, emails, menus, utility bills, social media captions and news stories. But fewer people are reading for fun. According to a 2022 report from the National Endowment for the Arts, 48.5% of US adults said they had read at least one book that year, down from 52.7% five years earlier, and 54.6% 10 years earlier. In the UK, a 2024 report found that half of UK adults do not regularly read for pleasure."
"Even if fiction isn't your cup of tea, regular reading has been shown to reduce stress levels and protect cognitive function in later life. I always say that [reading] is really good for helping you rest and slow down, says Morgan Menzies, a literary curator and social media influencer. Menzies says it's an effective way for her to unwind before bed. Some nights I get a few pages in. Other times it's one or two pages and I'm out, she laughs."
Leisure reading rates are falling: a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts report recorded 48.5% of US adults reading at least one book that year, down from 52.7% five years earlier and 54.6% ten years earlier. A 2024 UK report found half of UK adults do not regularly read for pleasure. The modern world is increasingly distracting, making it difficult to form a reading habit. Reading fiction enhances empathy, strengthens social-cognitive abilities, and increases psychological richness. Regular reading reduces stress, aids relaxation and sleep, and helps protect cognitive function in later life.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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