Childhood Hobby Linked to Better Adult Brain Function, Lower Stress

A childhood pastime that is seeing a decline in participation is associated with numerous benefits for mental health, cognitive abilities, and brain structure in adulthood, a growing body of research suggests.

Scientists have found that initiating reading for pleasure between the ages of 2 and 9 is linked to better cognitive performance, improved mental well-being, and structural differences in the brain during adolescence. These advantages appear to extend into adulthood.

"It’s something we ought to be encouraging from an early age given the increasing evidence of its benefits, particularly to children, but really, it’s never too late to start," said Professor Barbara Sahakian, a neuroscientist at Cambridge University.

In one analysis, Sahakian and her colleagues examined data from over 100,000 young people participating in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development study. Participants were categorized based on whether they began reading for pleasure between ages 2 and 9, or started later or not at all. Nearly half of the participants had limited experience with recreational reading before the age of 9.

The study assessed cognitive tests, clinical interviews, mental and behavioral assessments, and brain scans. The findings indicated that early recreational readers exhibited stronger verbal learning, memory, and speech development compared to their peers who started reading later. These individuals also tended to perform better academically.

Beyond academic performance, early readers showed better mental well-being, with fewer reported signs of stress and depression. They also presented fewer behavioral problems, such as aggression and rule-breaking, and displayed sharper attention spans.

Furthermore, children who developed a love for reading early on reported less screen time on devices like televisions, smartphones, and tablets. They also tended to get more sleep during adolescence.

Brain imaging revealed that adolescents who began reading for pleasure in early childhood had moderately larger overall brain areas and volumes. Specific regions of the brain involved in cognitive function, mental health, behavior, and attention also showed differences in this group.

"We encourage parents to do their best to awaken the joy of reading in their children at an early age," stated Professor Jianfeng Feng of Fudan University and the University of Warwick. "Done right, this will not only give them pleasure and enjoyment, but will also help their development and encourage long-term reading habits, which may also prove beneficial into adult life."

The research suggests that approximately 12 hours of pleasure reading per week represents a beneficial threshold. Reading beyond this amount did not appear to yield additional cognitive benefits and, in some cases, was associated with a slight decline in cognitive scores. Researchers theorize this might be due to reduced time spent on other beneficial activities like physical play or social interaction.

These findings emerge at a time when reading for pleasure among American children is declining. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics revealed a 16 percentage point drop in the prevalence of 9-year-olds reading for pleasure over the last 13 years. In 2025, only 37% of 9-year-olds reported reading for fun almost every day, a decrease from 53% in 1984. Concurrently, the percentage of children who reported never or rarely reading for fun increased.

"Given how beneficial reading for pleasure is at a young age, we should be doing everything we can to introduce children and young people to reading," commented Dr. Christelle Langley, a cognitive neuroscientist at Cambridge.

The benefits of reading extend into adulthood, with studies linking it to reduced stress, increased relaxation, and greater empathy. Mentally stimulating activities like reading are also associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, later in life.