Reading consistently has a myriad of positive benefits not only for your emotional well-being but also for your cognitive abilities. It is proven to be one of the most effective exercises for the brain that helps improve memory by stimulating the formation of new neural connections. It also helps strengthen the existing neural connections in the brain, making retaining and remembering new information acquired easier. Furthermore, it is a great technique for decreasing stress and helping a person concentrate. However, rather than scrolling through social media and thinking you’re well on your way to a mega-mind, the secret to the effectiveness behind these benefits is consistent, routine reading. Join us today at What We Reading as we explore how reading improves memory and helps keep our mental skills sharp.
How Does Reading Improve Memory?
So, how exactly does reading improve your memory? In short, reading improves memory skills because it stimulates and exercises the brain, quickening the formation of neurons and strengthening the existing connections between them. For reference, neurons are cells that transmit information and send messages to different parts of the brain. It has also been shown to have a positive effect on remedying the symptoms of stress and reducing the risk of age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the other links between reading and memory:
1. Exercising The Brain
Reading helps improve memory because the increase in mental stimulation is one of the best means of generating new neurons in the brain. There’s a solid link between the more an individual reads and the ease with which it becomes to recall certain information. Reading demands more attention and focus than processing speech or imagery, which is why it is one of the best activities for exercising the brain.
Scientific studies suggest that neurogenesis can happen in fully-formed adults’ brains, which could prove to be one of the most effective means of understanding memory and learning.
2. Strengthening Existing Connections
While reading, new neural connections are formed in the brain, which helps improve memory skills. The bilateral somatosensory cortex is responsible for processing sensory information, and reading is one of the best techniques for positive long-term changes in improving the connections between the brain parts controlling language processing.
3. Combating Cognitive Decline
Cognition is the ability to make judgments, learn and remember new things. As individuals age, memory and attention, two of the most fundamental aspects of cognitive functioning, are likely to be negatively affected.
Yet there have been plenty of studies conducted that show how people who read at least once a week are less likely to suffer from cognitive decline over an extended period. In short, older people who read more are more likely to remain sharper than those who read less.
Further on from that, reading has also been connected to dementia. Studies have shown that elderly individuals who participated in intellectual tasks such as reading were less likely to suffer from dementia than those who didn’t. Other stimulating activities such as performing music or making art have also been shown to reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
4. Reducing Stress
Reading for just half an hour has been shown to reduce the physical and emotional signs of stress. This is attributed to reading helping to improve concentration levels.
A 2009 study compared the effects of reading, yoga, and watching funny videos to improve the stress levels of full-time students. The results showed that students who read for at least thirty minutes had fewer physical signs of stress, i.e., increased blood pressure, heart rate, etc., compared to when they started.
The same study stated that reading neutral content or material that doesn’t elicit a strong response is very relaxing. This is because reading reduces the nervous system’s arousal which manages our bodies’ response to stressful situations. Granted, reading the news today can sometimes feel more stressful than we would like; however, there are always options for picking up a short story or novel to generate the same effect.
Individuals are far more likely to retain information and keep track of different things if their minds aren’t being rocked by stress. In this sense, reading improves memory.
5. Creating A Mental Map
When we’re reading, our brains construct a mental map from the words on the page. This has been proven to be an effective technique for helping develop memory, recall, and knowledge.
Studies have shown that individuals who take part in mentally challenging activities such as reading and writing have lower rates of memory decline throughout their lives.
Tips For Improving Memory Through Reading
Everyone wants to improve their memory. But, simply going out on a reading binge isn’t necessarily the right way of going about that. Improving memory through reading requires at least half an hour to an hour in a day where you’re more likely to be focused on processing the words on the page.
One of the best tips we can give you is to pack a book for your daily commute. Not only is it a great way of eliminating some screentime from your day, but we find it a great way of killing time and giving your brain some time to unwind either before or after work/studying.
Reading the news or learning more about subjects you have a passion for are other great ways of developing your reading skills. Some other key tips for ensuring your reading will improve your memory skills include:
- Choosing a quiet spot to relax with some reading material.
- Make your reading as habitual as possible. Reading often helps tackle reading slumps and will keep your mind sharp.
- Don’t read too fast. Reading too fast will mean you’re not absorbing information.
- Use a highlighter to mark important snippets. Highlighting will help you ensure you retain more.
Wrap Up
It’s not only the thrill of a shocking twist, a well-developed character arc or a mesmerising plotline that keeps us absorbed and in love with reading. There are plenty of emotional and physical benefits that come with it that make it a more than worthwhile activity. Reading improves memory, boosts cognitive functioning, lowers stress levels and can also help prevent age-related illnesses. So, whatever types of material you love, check out our curated reading lists to discover your next reading experience!
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
