PIF member The Reading Agency has published the second set of insights from its nationwide survey tracking adult reading engagement in the UK. The new report focuses on the nation's relationship with reading and the potential health and wellbeing outcomes of a regular reading habit.
It found 1 in 3 adults say they want to read more books about how to manage their health and wellbeing. This rose to almost half of those aged 25-44. However, 1 in 5 also said it is difficult to find usable health information. This rose to 1 in 4 for those aged 35-44 and 1 in 3 for those aged 16-34. Other key findings include:
- A regular reading habit is associated with higher life satisfaction.
- More than 4 in 10 regular readers said reading improved their mental health, compared with 2 in 10 lapsed and non-readers.
- More than 4 in 10 regular readers said reading helped them get a better night's sleep.
- Women are more likely to see reading as a way to reduce stress.
Barriers to reading
More than 7.3 million UK adults said mental-health related reasons, such as depression or anxiety, stop them from reading. A difficult life event, including ill health and bereavement, stopped 4.96 million UK adults from reading. Other key barriers included vision, physical health and becoming a new parent.
Read the full Focus on...Reading, Health and Wellbeing report via The Reading Agency website here.