Reading leads to a longer, more storied life

Now read this.

A recent study has found seniors who read lived almost two years longer than those who didn’t. Researchers at the Yale School of Public Health examined whether those who read books have a survival advantage over those who read magazines and newspapers or don’t read at all.

They found book readers had a 20 percent reduction in mortality risk over 12 years of follow up compared with non-book readers after adjusting for socioeconomic variables. Their findings have been published online ahead of print in the journal Social Science & Medicine.

Researchers looked at reading habits of 3,635 participants age 50 and older from a longitudinal Health and Retirement Study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging.

The findings are similar to other research that have shown stories have long-lasting effects of on the brain. 

Nicole Stempak

Nicole was Senior Editor at I Advance Senior Care and Long Term Living Magazine 2015-2017. She has a Journalism degree from Kent State University and is finalizing a master’s degree in Information Architecture and Management. She has extensive studies in the digital user experience and in branding online media. She has worked as an editor and writer for various B2B publications, including Business Finance.