Reading has a positive impact on people’s mental health, becoming an effective tool to reduce stress, improve concentration and promote brain plasticity, the process that allows the brain to adapt and develop throughout life. In this context, the Book Dayon April 23, it becomes an opportunity to reflect on the benefits that reading can provide to health.
According to the report of reading and purchase habits of books in Spain of the Ministry of Culture of 202451.2% of the Spanish population is considered a frequent reader, that is, read in their free time daily or weekly. In addition, the report shows that in 2023 64% of the Spanish population declared reading books in their free time, while in 2024 that figure rose to 65.5%. Although the increase is moderate, it confirms an upward trend, which highlights the growing awareness of the emotional and cognitive benefits that reading provides.
A mental shelter in time of hyperconnection
In this sense, experts in neurology of the Cima Sanitas Hospital in Barcelona The role of books in stress reduction, the improvement of concentration and promotion of cerebral plasticity, a crucial mechanism to maintain a healthy brain and in continuous development over the years, stand out.
“One of the greatest benefits of reading is its impact on brain plasticitythe ability of the brain to create and strengthen neuronal connections. Reading is a mental training that enhances the development of new neuronal connections, contributing to greater cognitive agility even in adulthood. As we read, we exercise our ability to abstraction and analysis, which has a positive effect on the prevention of cognitive impairment, ”explains the Dr. Antonio DonaireHead of Neurology and Director of the Epilepsy Unit of Cima Sanitas Barcelona Hospital.
In addition, at a time when digital content consumption is fragmenting attention capacity, books offer a natural antidote: they favor sustained concentration and working memory, key aspects for intellectual performance and mental well -being. In fact, according to a study by the University of Sussex, in which the stress levels of a group of volunteers were measured before and after reading, only six minutes of reading were enough to reduce these levels by 68%. This data, obtained after comparing physiological and psychological parameters, places reading as one of the most effective activities to relax, even overcoming music or taking a walk.
“Given the hyperconnection generated by social networks and the constant use of devices, reading offers a healthy alternative that allows to disconnect and reduce informative overload. When choosing a book, sustained attention is favored and the working memory is improved, key aspects to maintain an emotional and cognitive balance. In addition, read help to reduce cortisol levels, stress hormone, which promotes a sensation of relaxation and well -being. Add for your part Silvia Mérida Expósitopsychologist of Blue from sanitas. The expert points out that reading also favors emotional self -regulation, “by improving the understanding and management of their own and other emotions, a key aspect in a context of high digital stimulation.”
Therefore, Sanitas experts emphasize that it is essential to promote reading in the little ones, to guarantee a positive and conscious development of the brain. According to the aforementioned Report of Reading and Buying Habits of Books in Spain in 2024, the Age Strip of 14 to 24 years is the main readerbeing 75.3% readers of these ages. Divided into subgroups, children from 10 to 14 years highlight, of which 86% are readers. They are followed by teenagers from 15 to 18, with 76%, and, finally, the strip from 19 to 24 years, with 65.1% readers. These figures demonstrate the commitment in homes and schools to instill a reading habit and love of children for reading from an early age. In the Cima Sanitas hospital we continue working for integral health that includes reading as a well -being tool.
