What is an example of an activity which can keep the mind engaged but the body at rest? While it is necessary for the body to recover and recuperate, it is sometimes essential that the mind has an opportunity to run. For some this could be daydreaming. But for others, it is reading.
It is the act of reading which, say researchers from Yale University, could help someone live longer.
In a study published in the journal of Social Science and Medicine, they found readers lived longer than non-readers.
Those who read for over three and a half hours a week lived around 23 months (just under two years) longer than people who didn’t read.
Authors said the extended lifespan was regardless of “gender, wealth, education, or health [factors]”.
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The authors added: “Book readers experienced a 20 percent reduction in risk of mortality over the 12 years of follow up compared to non-book readers.
“Further, our analyses demonstrated that any level of book reading gave a significantly stronger survival advantage than reading periodicals.”
They described their finds as “novel”.
The reason for this was because previous studies hadn’t compared different types of reading material.
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Why is cognitive health important in the long term?
The stronger and healthier the brain is, the lower the risk of conditions such as dementia, one of the biggest killers in the UK.
Around 67,000 people die every year from dementia, enough to fill a large football stadium.
There is currently no cure for dementia, but scientists are working hard to change this.