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Valerie van Mulukom, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Oxford Brookes University

FOUND: Can picking up a book really improve your brain - What They Never Told You

Volodymyr TVERDOKHLIB/Shutterstock

Picking up a book for half an hour may feel like simple downtime, but reading for pleasure appears to do more than just entertain us. Research suggests it can support aspects of cognition and wellbeing, while also helping us understand and connect with other people.

Reading for pleasure, also called “leisure reading” or “recreational reading”, means reading simply because we enjoy it rather than to achieve a particular practical goal.

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