You need to read. The National Literacy Institute stated that in 2024 – 2025 54% of adults in the US are reading at a sixth-grade level or below, and 21% were illiterate. The ability to read, and the act of reading–yourself or being read to–provides people of all ages with many benefits including child development, empathy and curiosity, creativity, professional skills, and lifelong health and wellbeing, both physical and mental.
Reading Supports Early Childhood Development
To begin at the beginning, reading helps with child development. Reading to young children helps with early language acquisition. It creates an active learning experience, and encourages independent thinking and reasoning skills. (Li, 2024)
Reading to children also helps them develop their self-identity through characters that they can relate to and see themselves as. This also helps them develop cultural awareness and social skills, and learn emotional skills. (Burgess & Brown, n.d.)
But the benefits don’t stop after childhood.
Reading Promotes Empathy & Understanding
Throughout our lives, reading promotes personal growth by conveying meaning, and fostering empathy and curiosity. Stories shape the way we view the world, and interpret the events that happen to us. Our brains respond to stories as if the events are happening to us, and release chemicals such as oxytocin which helps us connect with others. (Innovation Hub, 2021) The more we read, the more new perspectives and experiences we connect with, which helps us to become more curious about the people and the world around us. (National University, n.d.)
Building empathy and curiosity through reading can also generate creativity.
Reading Helps us Practice Creativity
Along with helping us build empathy and curiosity, reading is one of the best ways to foster imagination which encourages creativity. (World Literacy Foundation, 2022) The more that we read, the more new ideas we can create. As my professor, Brother Kerr says, just like you can’t draw from an empty bank account, you can’t generate creative ideas from an empty mind.
In a study that explored the relationship between creative thinking to reading and writing. The study found that “positive reading attitudes were significantly correlated with high creativity” and “negative reading attitudes significantly correlated with low creativity” which supports the hypothesis that reading fosters creativity. (Zucker et al., 2013)
Creating a habit of input through reading will support us in becoming more creative people. Alongside creative skills, reading also supports the development of professional skills throughout life.
Reading Plays a Key Role in Professional Skills
According to the National Literacy Institute “The capacity to read and write, commonly known as literacy, stands out as a pivotal determinant in shaping an individual’s career trajectory.” (National Literacy Institute, 2024) The more we read, the more opportunities become open to us, because reading helps us develop writing skills, language and communication skills, and problem-solving skills which lead to greater academic professional success. (95 Percent Group, 2024)
The more that we read, the more well equipped we are to navigate the world around us, and take advantage of educational and professional opportunities which open to us.
“Reading, writing and communicating effectively means students can interact with the world around them and understand the issues that shape their lives.” (Southern Oregon University, 2021)
Reading Has Lifelong Health Benefits
Reading provides us with lifelong benefits to our mental, emotional, and physical health. One study found that just six minutes of silent reading can reduce stress by up to 68%, and help readers sleep better. Further, reading for 30 minutes per day extended the lifespan of participants by an average of two years. (Centre for Adult Education, 2018)
Another article states that elderly people who do mentally challenging activities like reading regularly are 32% less likely to experience mental decline. (Cornerstone University, 2019)
Reading increases wellness by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. It promotes happiness and satisfaction, and facilitates healing and growth. (Keltner, 2023) Long story short, reading promotes health across multiple dimensions of wellbeing.
In order to make these facts more accessible to the general public, I created an infographic showcasing the main points of this research.
In order to make this research even more accessible and digestible, I designed a social media campaign with simple, straightforward posts that would be easily shareable. A study done by the IBM Institute for Business Value in 2017 surveyed 15,600 Gen Zers between the ages of 13 and 21. The study states that “When asked what they do with their free time, the top response—cited by 74 percent of survey respondents–was to spend time online.” In light of these statistics, it was decided to meet Gen Z where they are: online.
I created multiple posts with small pieces of information, as well as fun facts to catch Gen Z’s attention. I had the Madison Library in mind as a potential client (I will be meeting with their social media manager in the near future), and so I used the tag line “Come Check it Out” to invoke the idea of checking out a library book.
Reading has many lifelong benefits for people of all ages. Beginning with child development, enhancing personal growth, inspiring creativity, aiding professional skills and promoting lifelong health and wellbeing.
Want to live a more fulfilling life? Read a book.
Bibliography
- National Literacy Institute. (2024). 2024–2025 Literacy Statistics. https://www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/2024-2025-literacy-statistics
- Li, Yutong. (2024). Embarking on literacy: Toda’s deductive approach as a guide to early home reading. Illinois Reading Council Journal, 52(3), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.33600/IRCJ.52.3.2024.3
- Burgess, C. D., & Brown, M. M. (n.d.). Make time to read: The many benefits of reading books to children. Dimensions, 53(2), 8–11
- Innovation Hub. (2021, March 11). The brain science of storytelling: Finding the Connection Between Storytelling and Academics. University of Toronto Student Life. https://blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca/innovationhub/the-brain-science-of-storytelling-finding-the-connection-between-storytelling-and-academics/
- National University. (n.d.). Reading Improves Memory, Concentration, and Stress. https://www.nu.edu/blog/reading-improves-memory-concentration-and-stress/
- World Literacy Foundation. (2022, November 10). How Reading Enhances Imagination. https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/reading-enhances-imagination/
- Zucker, T. A., Cabell, S. Q., Justice, L. M., Pentimonti, J. M., & Kaderavek, J. N. (2013). The role of frequent, interactive prekindergarten shared reading in the longitudinal development of language and literacy skills. Developmental Psychology, 49(8), 1425–1439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2011.01.002
- 95 Percent Group. (2024, May 14). Why is reading important for students? https://www.95percentgroup.com/insights/reading-importance/
- Southern Oregon University. (2021, July 19). The role of literacy in effective communication. https://online.sou.edu/degrees/education/msed/reading-literacy/literacy-in-effective-communication/
- Centre for Adult Education. (2018, August 23). 7 proven reasons why reading is good for you. https://www.cae.edu.au/news/7-proven-reasons-why-reading-is-good-for-you/
- Cornerstone University. (2019, June 12). 5 ways reading can change your life (and best practices). https://www.cornerstone.edu/blog-post/5-ways-reading-can-change-your-life-and-best-practices/
- Keltner, N. (2023, December 18). What is Bibliotherapy? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/well-read/202312/what-is-bibliotherapy
- IBM Institute for Business Value. (January, 2017). Uniquely Generation Z.
https://glukoze.com/retail-generation-z.PDF - The Epic of Gilgamesh. (n.d.). Ancient Texts Library. http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/mesopotamian/gilgamesh/
- Tolkien, J. R. R. (1951). Letter to Milton Waldman, publisher. The Tolkien Estate. https://www.tolkienestate.com/letters/letter-to-milton-waldman-publisher-1951/