People Who Read Fiction Books For Fun Usually Have Good Mental Health For 8 Reasons
Dean Drobot / ShutterstockIn a world where everyone is practically glued to their phones, reading seems to have become somewhat of a lost art. Heading to Barnes and Noble or a local bookstore used to be an exceptionally common hobby, but the number of people who regularly read books for pleasure has been steadily plummeting.
Although it might seem old-fashioned to some people, reading strengthens the brain in a way that few other activities can. Many people think nonfiction books are best because it’s easier to learn something from them, but the truth is that fiction can be even better for people’s mental health.
People who still read fiction for pleasure tend to have better mental health than everyone else for these reasons
1. They learn how to relate to other people
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A lot of people who like to read fiction for fun would probably say that part of what draws them to it is being able to walk in another person’s shoes. They get to learn about new people and places without actually leaving the house.
Studies have shown that people feel like they’re living a character’s experiences themselves when reading fiction. That feeling of getting lost in the book isn’t something they’re just imagining. This not only helps them understand others better, but also helps them learn how to react to different situations. Reading is making them resilient.
2. They have a longer attention span
In a world that celebrates multitasking and short-form content, it’s not surprising that a lot of people have shorter attention spans than they used to. It’s like everyone is being trained to focus for shorter periods.
Reading fiction makes a difference because it forces people to focus on something for longer. A 300-page book requires significantly more attention than a 30-second Instagram reel. That’s a skill they can use in all parts of their lives, not just reading.
3. They know how to use their imagination
Most people don’t spend much time thinking about their imagination once they’ve grown up. Reading fiction seems pretty different from playing with stuffed animals, but it still activates that part of the brain in an important way.
Any kind of fictional world, even ones created by other people, requires someone to use their imagination. That helps them with more concrete skills, like problem-solving and empathy. It’s not a waste of time, as some people believe.
4. They spend less time looking at screens
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A lot of people prefer to read e-books on tablets, so it’s not like all readers automatically spend all their time looking at words printed on a page. Still, it’s hard to say that the time someone spends reading on a Kindle is the same as the time someone else spends on TikTok.
There’s evidence that reading an actual book is more beneficial than reading one on a screen. But no matter how people choose to do their reading, the bottom line is that it affects their mental health very differently than doomscrolling does.
5. They can escape from their own problems
Books provide a healthy form of escapism that’s easily misunderstood because people think it’s the same thing as avoidance. Reading fiction doesn’t mean someone is refusing to face their problems, though.
Instead, it’s a way for them to distract themselves for a little while. Although people used to think this was a bad thing, most agree that it’s good now. Fiction drops readers into another world so they can forget about their own for a brief time. It’s a simple way to de-stress without actually making their own problems even worse.
6. They accept other people’s perspectives
When someone gets caught up in a story, it’s easy to forget that it was written by another real person who probably doesn’t share all of their opinions.
Understanding that different people have different perspectives is one of the basic parts of solving problems. No two people see the world in the same way, so we all have to be able to accept other points of view.
Fiction can teach readers an important lesson here. They aren’t going to agree with everyone, but that doesn’t mean other people are wrong. Different perspectives aren’t something to be afraid of.
7. They don’t mind spending time alone
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For some people, alone time sounds like torture. They can’t imagine feeling happy when they’re just sitting on the couch with no one else to keep them company.
The introspection that comes with solitude actually helps people learn who they really are. It’s something they just can’t do around others. People might not feel truly alone when they’re reading about their favorite characters, but it’s still a way for them to get even more comfortable being on their own.
8. They have a simple way to calm themselves down
Most readers are probably familiar with the feeling of all of their worries melting away when they open up a book. It turns out that they aren’t just imagining that feeling of relief.
Any kind of quiet activity like that can help people relieve stress, but reading is especially powerful because it requires more concentration. It’s almost impossible to think about anything other than the story. When someone gets stuck in a loop of anxious thoughts, a fiction book could be the perfect thing to ground them back in the present.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
