Read for Enduring Health!
November 4, 2025
“How a daily habit may help protect the aging brain.”
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As millions of people worldwide face the rising threat of dementia, researchers continue to explore how lifestyle habits might delay cognitive decline — and one simple, proven activity stands out: reading. A landmark study published in Neurology (July 2021) found that older adults who regularly engaged in mentally stimulating activities such as reading, writing letters, or playing games experienced up to a five-year delay in the onset of dementia compared with those who did not (American Academy of Neurology).
Building on that, a Taiwanese cohort study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience tracked over 1,900 older adults for 14 years and found that individuals who read at least once per week had roughly half the odds of cognitive decline compared with those who rarely read. Similarly, researchers writing in Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy reported in 2022 that intellectual activities like reading help build “cognitive reserve” — a network of stronger and more adaptable neural pathways that can offset the effects of neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy).
In practical terms, reading regularly isn’t just enriching — it’s a form of brain maintenance. By activating memory, attention, and processing networks, reading strengthens neural connections and supports long-term cognitive resilience. Whether it’s a business brief, a travel memoir, or a novel on a quiet evening, each page turned is more than leisure — it’s a simple, evidence-based investment in your longevity.
