Read It and Reap

When was the last time you got lost in a book? Maybe it was on vacation or during a rare pocket of downtime. If you’re like many of us, you might not even remember. A new study in iScience shows fewer Americans are reading for fun these days, despite evidence that it prevents cognitive decline. 

The Study: Researchers from University College London and the University of Florida analyzed data from more than 236,000 people collected between 2003 and 2023. They found the share of adults who read for pleasure on a given day dropped from 28% to just 16% — a nearly 40% drop over two decades. But here’s the flip side: the people who did read often gave it more time, averaging about an hour and a half per day. Prior research shows that reading regularly is tied to sharper thinking, lower stress, and even living longer.

The Takeaway: Setting aside just a short daily window (even 15-20 minutes) for reading may provide meaningful benefits for your brain and mood.

Keep in Mind: The study didn’t track what people read, but skimming short-form content like social media feeds likely won’t deliver the same benefits as books or essays.