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Mental Health

World Book Night and The Benefits of Reading for Mental Health

by Laura Clipson

• Published 20/04/2023

Ever since I was little, I’ve loved stories in all their forms, whether reading them, writing them, playing them or watching them. For me, reading a book is the perfect way to escape to a different world for a few hours. However, there are still plenty of people out there who rarely, if ever, read for fun. So, with World Book Night around the corner, this post explores the positive effect regular reading can have on our mental health.

What is World Book Night?

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World Book Night, the adult counterpart to World Book Day for children, aims to inspire people to read more. It’s celebrated on 23rd April 2023, thought to be the probable birth and death date of William Shakespeare, and is run by The Reading Agency.

As part of World Book Night, they are hosting the “Road to Reading” challenge, where you can sign up to pledge to read for 30 minutes each week for 10 weeks. People who sign up will receive support and encouragement, as well as tips for reading success.

They also have a specially selected booklist for 2023, with something to suit everyone, as well as recommendations of all the books previously featured on their booklists.

If you want to learn more about World Book Night, head to their website: worldbooknight.org

What effect can reading have on mental health?

Regular reading can help us to manage our stress levels by lowering our blood pressure and heart rate, helping us to relax. Reading can also help to ease depression, as it allows us to escape into someone else’s world for a while, making it possible to forget about our worries and struggles, if only temporarily. The break may also help us to eventually face those worries, as reading gives our minds time to rest, and maybe even work on the problems subconsciously.

Our day to day lives are full of distractions, making it difficult for us to focus on any one thing. However, when we are reading our attention is focused fully on the story, on the little details sprinkled throughout, allowing our minds the exercise they need to stay healthy. This can also help improve our memory function, as we make connections back to hints and foreshadowing throughout the story.

If we use reading as a part of our night time routine, it can help us to relax, making it easier for us to fall asleep and encouraging deeper, more meaningful rest. It is recommended that we limit screen time before bedtime anyway; all the more reason to pick up a book instead.

Reading can also improve feelings of loneliness and isolation, as we feel close to the characters we are reading about. Joining a book club can also help with this, as we can discuss the books we are reading with others, helping to build a sense of community.

As well as all of the benefits to mental health, regular reading can also increase your knowledge and improve your writing skills and analytical skills. So pick up a book and get reading, there’s plenty out there to suit everyone.

Thank you for reading.