Week 16:  Reading for Cognitive Fitness: Choosing the Right Books

From Wednesday night:  

We asked for your book recommendations and you came through!  Here is a list of books suggested during class.  The links on the handout take you to the Amazon page where they are listed.

Also, we were wondering about the impact of the type of media (book, digital, audio) on the brain.  I asked Perplexity.ai, which consulted 54! sources and provided this overview.  Surprised?

Finally, in the chat one of the students mentioned commonplace books, and that many authors kept them.  I wasn't familiar with the term, so I did some research.  Here is what I found.  It may be a great way to save those random thoughts!

Activity: Breakout Room Discussion

Instructions
In small breakout groups, take 5 minutes to talk about your current reading habits. You can answer any or all of these questions:

• What types of things do you enjoy reading?

• How often do you read, and for how long?

• Do you do anything special to remember what you’ve read?

• Have you ever kept a reading journal or written down quotes or reflections?

The idea behind cognitive reserve is that your brain builds up strength and flexibility over time, especially when you regularly challenge it with mental activities like reading. Think of cognitive reserve as your brain's "backup system" - it's your brain's ability to stay strong and keep working well, even when there are physical changes or damage from aging or conditions like Alzheimer's disease.

If your brain is a road network, cognitive reserve is the number of extra paths or detours your brain has built over time. If one road is blocked due to aging or health issues, your brain can take a different route to get the job done. These extra "routes" are built through a lifetime of learning, social interaction, and mentally stimulating activities—with reading being one of the most powerful ways to build them.

The study by Dr. Robert S. Wilson and his team at Rush University gives real-world proof of this idea (Wilson, 2013). Researchers followed 294 older adults over several years, asking how often they read, wrote, played games, or did other mentally engaging activities. They tested their memory and thinking abilities regularly and, after the participants passed away, also examined their brain tissue.

What they discovered was remarkable: people who often did brain-stimulating activities—like reading or writing—had a 32% slower decline in memory and thinking than those who didn't. Even more interesting, even when their brains showed physical signs of damage or age-related disease, they performed better on cognitive tests than would be expected based on those physical changes alone.

This is why reading is so valuable as we age. When we read regularly, we're not just entertaining ourselves—we're actively building cognitive reserve that can help protect our thinking abilities against the natural changes that come with aging. Reading gives our brain those alternative pathways it might need later in life, making us more resilient to cognitive challenges.

Reading is one of the most powerful ways to keep the brain healthy and sharp. That’s because it activates many different areas of the brain at the same time, kind of like a full-body workout, but for your mind. When these areas work together regularly, they help build strong connections, which contribute to something called cognitive reserve—your brain’s ability to stay strong even as you age.

Here are some of the key brain systems that reading uses:

• The Visual Center: This part of the brain (in the occipital lobe at the back of your head) helps you see and recognize the shapes of letters and words on the page or screen. It quickly processes what your eyes take in so that reading feels natural.

• Language Areas: These include Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area (in the left side of the brain). They help you understand word meanings, grammar, and how sentences fit together. This is how we make sense of what we read.

• Memory Systems: Reading activates both short-term and long-term memory systems. You hold details in mind while reading (short-term memory), and you also recall knowledge from your past experiences (long-term memory) to understand and enjoy the story or information.

• Attention and Focus Centers: Reading helps you practice sustained attention, especially when following a story or learning something new. This keeps the brain engaged and active, improving focus over time.

• Thinking and Reasoning Areas: These areas help you analyze what you read, make inferences, and reflect on deeper meaning. You might ask, "What’s the author trying to say?" or "How does this relate to my life?" These are higher-level thinking skills in action.

• Emotional Processing Centers: Good stories often stir emotions. When this happens, the emotional center of the brain (the limbic system) is also involved. This emotional engagement makes reading more meaningful and helps us remember what we’ve read more deeply.

Throughout this semester, we've explored several wonderful activities that support brain health—from music and dance to art, social interaction, and learning new skills. Each of these activities offers unique cognitive benefits, and together they form a complete "toolkit" for brain health.  Reading is  special within this toolkit of brain-healthy activities. It has features that can be  unique in a brain healthy lifestyle.  They include:

Accessibility: Unlike some activities that require special equipment, locations, or physical abilities, reading can be done almost anywhere, anytime, by almost anyone. This makes it an especially reliable tool in your cognitive fitness toolkit.

Cognitive complexity: Reading uniquely engages multiple brain systems simultaneously. When you read, you're activating visual processing, language comprehension, memory systems, emotional centers, and reasoning skills—all at once. This wide-ranging neural activation creates a particularly rich brain workout.

Customizable Challenge: Reading material can be precisely matched to your current abilities and gradually increase in complexity as you progress, making it an ideal "personal trainer" for your brain. You can easily adjust the challenge level by choosing different genres, styles, or subject matter.

Complementary Benefits: Reading enhances many of the same cognitive skills that support other activities we've studied:

• It strengthens the verbal skills needed for meaningful social interaction

• It builds visualization abilities that support artistic expression

• It enhances the focus and attention that helps when learning something new

• It develops the emotional intelligence that enriches all our experiences

The ideal cognitive fitness routine includes a variety of activities that you enjoy and will continue doing regularly. Some days you might dance, other days you might read, and still others you might engage in stimulating conversation or learn a new skill. What matters most is regular engagement with mentally stimulating activities. 

While all five activities support brain health in meaningful ways, reading uniquely engages the widest network of brain functions—at the same time. It draws on vision, language, memory, reasoning, and emotion. This broad and deep engagement is why researchers call reading one of the most neurologically beneficial activities, especially for older adults.

For many years, scientists believed that once we reached adulthood, our brains were pretty much unable to grow or change much. But we now know this isn’t true. The brain has an amazing ability called neuroplasticity, which means it can form new connections and reorganize itself throughout life, even into older age.

What Is Brain Plasticity?

Brain plasticity (or neuroplasticity) is the brain’s ability to adapt and change in response to new experiences, learning, or challenges. Every time we learn something new, practice a skill, or even reflect on something meaningful; our brain creates or strengthens pathways between brain cells. This makes it easier to remember things, solve problems, and stay mentally sharp.

Think of your brain like a network of walking paths. The more you travel certain paths, the smoother and easier they become. If you stop using a path, it becomes overgrown. But the exciting part is that you can always build new paths, no matter what your age.

Different research studies  have suggested that reading is one of the most effective ways to support brain plasticity.  A 2019 study published in Cerebral Cortex found that older adults who read regularly showed stronger connections in brain areas linked to language and understanding (Huettig, 2019). This means reading helps keep the brain networks involved in communication active and well-connected, even in later life.

Another long-term study from the University of Edinburgh found that people who read regularly throughout life had better memory and verbal skills in older age, even after accounting for childhood IQ levels (Ritchie, 2015). In other words, it wasn’t just that smarter kids became smarter adults, it was that continued mental activity, like reading, helped maintain those abilities over time.

This is important because it demonstrates the value of reading to neuroplasticity.  Because reading exercises so many parts of the brain, especially those involved in language, memory, and thinking, it helps build new brain connections and keep existing ones strong. This is a key part of neuroplasticity. Even if aging causes some decline in certain areas, having stronger pathways and more flexible thinking helps the brain adapt and work around the challenges.

Not all reading is the same—and that’s a good thing! Whether you enjoy curling up with a novel, digging into a history book, reading articles online, or browsing a magazine, each type of reading gives your brain a different kind of workout. Let’s look at how different forms of reading nurture the brain in different ways.

Activity:  Reading creates connections in your brain.  We are reminded of this with the word Association Game

We are going to play the word association game. This is an example to demonstrate how quickly our brains form neural connections when reading

Keep in mind that when these connections are made, neural pathways are strengthened

In this activity, I will say a word and you will blurt out the first word that comes to your mind.

Fiction Reading: Building Empathy and Imagination

When you read fiction—novels, short stories, or literary works—you’re stepping into someone else’s shoes. You imagine what characters feel, think, and go through, which helps activate areas of the brain involved in emotional understanding and social thinking.

This improves:

• Empathy – You become better at relating to others and understanding emotions.

• Perspective-taking – You learn to see things from another point of view.

• Imagination and creativity – You picture scenes and people in your mind, boosting visualization skills.

Brain bonus: These activities also stimulate areas such as the medial prefrontal cortex, which is linked to social awareness and moral reasoning.

Health bonus: A 2016 study published in Social Science & Medicine found that people who read books—especially fiction—lived longer on average than non-readers. The researchers suggested that mental engagement, emotional involvement, and reduced stress may all contribute to this survival benefit (Bavishi et al., 2016).

Non-Fiction Reading: Enhancing Knowledge and Thinking Skills

Reading non-fiction—such as biographies, science articles, how-to guides, or news stories—stimulates your brain in different ways.

It helps build:

• Factual knowledge – You learn new things about the world, history, health, and more.

• Critical thinking – You analyze arguments, compare viewpoints, and evaluate what’s true.

• Vocabulary and comprehension – Especially when reading technical or informational text.

 Brain bonus: Non-fiction reading strengthens your working memory and executive function, helping you plan, reason, and solve problems.

Other Types of Reading: Keeping the Mind Active Daily

• Magazines and newspapers: Keep you informed and mentally engaged with current events and ideas.

• Poetry: Encourages appreciation of rhythm, language, and emotion.

• Religious or spiritual texts: Offer reflection, comfort, and meaning.

• Instructional reading (like recipes, directions, or manuals): Activates problem-solving and step-by-step thinking.

All of these types of reading engage different parts of the brain—whether it’s language centers, memory areas, or emotional processing—and help keep your mind flexible and curious.

The key is to read regularly and to read a variety of materials. Fiction helps you feel and connect; non-fiction helps you think and understand. Together, they provide a well-rounded brain workout that supports emotional and mental well-being as you age.

Choosing the right books can make reading not just enjoyable—but cognitively rewarding. The goal is to find reading material that stretches your mind without overwhelming it.

Finding Your “Stretch Zone”

We all have a “comfort zone” when it comes to reading—the types of books we’re used to and find easy to follow. But for brain health, it’s helpful to find your “stretch zone”—books that challenge you just enough to encourage learning and growth without causing frustration.

What is the “Stretch Zone”?  It’s the space between being too easy and too hard.  You might need to pause to think or re-read, but you’re still enjoying and understanding the material. This kind of reading builds new neural pathways, enhancing focus, vocabulary, and reasoning.

How to Know You're There:

• The topic or vocabulary is slightly unfamiliar, but you're curious.

• You have to pay closer attention or slow down—but not give up.

• You feel mentally energized afterward—not drained.

Practical Selection Strategies

It’s easier than ever to find books that are both mentally engaging and suited to your preferences or needs. Here are some tips for discovering the right reads:

Look at reviews & recommendations:  Use reviews to help you find the next book.  You can use trusted sources like Goodreads, NPR Books, or your local newspaper’s book section, or you might just ask friends or instructors for brain-friendly book suggestions.

Libraries and Book Clubs:  Most public libraries offer large print editions, staff picks, and even curated reading lists for older adults. Ask about book clubs.  They’re a great way to stay motivated and get more out of your reading. (Or take a book class through SDCCE next fall!)

Digital vs. Print:  E-readers (like Kindle or iPad) allow you to enlarge the text, change background color, and adjust lighting.  Audiobooks can also count as active reading when you’re fully engaged and reflective.

Online Tools:  Use library apps like Libby or Hoopla let you borrow e-books and audiobooks for free.   Try searching “best historical novels for beginners” or “non-fiction books that make you think.”

Develop a Reading habit

To get the most brain-boosting value from reading, it's not just about what you read—but also how and how often. This section helps participants build simple habits that can strengthen memory, focus, and cognitive flexibility.

How Often and How Long Should You Read?

• Frequency matters: Research shows that reading daily or almost daily offers the strongest cognitive benefits, especially as we age.

• Aim for at least 30 minutes per day, as recommended by the Yale University School of Public Health (Bavishi, 2016). This can be done all at once or split into shorter chunks—like 10 minutes in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

• Consistency over intensity: Reading a little each day is better for your brain than reading for hours once a week.

Tip: Link reading to a routine—before bed, after breakfast, or during your afternoon tea.

Active vs. Passive Reading

Not all reading stimulates the brain in the same way. To truly engage your mind, aim for active reading, which involves thinking about what you’re reading, making connections, and even questioning or reflecting.

Passive Reading refers to things like skimming a magazine while letting your eyes pass over the words without much thought.  Or it could mean reading while distracted by the TV or other noise.

Active Reading on the other hand is paying attention to characters or main ideas.  You find yourself asking questions (“Why did the author say that?” or “What do I think will happen next?”) while imagining scenes, taking mental notes, and reflecting on the meaning

Brain boost: Active reading builds stronger memory traces and encourages deeper thinking—both key to maintaining brain health.

Note-Taking and Reflection Techniques

Engaging with what you read after you finish is a powerful way to lock it into memory and improve understanding.

Here are three simple techniques:

• Jot down one takeaway: After reading, write one sentence that captures what you learned or found interesting.

• Keep a reading journal: This could include thoughts about the characters, new words you liked, or how the book relates to your life.

• Use sticky notes or bookmarks: Mark places that made you laugh, think, or feel something strong—then revisit those parts and talk about them.

Bonus: Writing about what you read activates different areas of the brain than reading alone, offering a double cognitive benefit.

Getting Started: Simple Reading Goals

If reading hasn’t been a habit lately, that’s okay. Here are a few ideas to help you start or restart:

• Start small: Aim for just 10–15 minutes a day and work up to 30.

• Choose what you enjoy: There’s no rule that says you must read certain books. Enjoy a mystery, a magazine, or even a comic book!

• Join a group: A reading club or discussion group adds social connection, which boosts the benefits even more.

• Use audiobooks: If eyesight or reading stamina is a challenge, listening to books can offer many of the same brain benefits.

• Create a reading time: Set a daily routine—before bed, after breakfast, or while waiting for appointments.

This class isn’t just about reading, it’s about staying sharp, managing stress, and improving your quality of life.  The research is clear: reading regularly can help your brain stay stronger, longer.  Aim for 15 to 30 minutes a day and choose a variety of reading materials that will engage and stimulate your brain.  Use resources like your library to find quality books at no charge.  And consider that book club to boost your reading skills!  And the best part? You can begin today—with just one good book and a little time.

Bavishi, A., Slade, M. D., & Levy, B. R. (2016). A chapter a day: Association of book reading with longevity. Social Science & Medicine, 164, 44-48

Huettig, F., & Pickering, M. J. (2019). Literacy advantages beyond reading: Prediction of spoken language. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 23(6), 464-475

Lewis, D. (2009). Galaxy Stress Research. Mindlab International, Sussex University, UK

Ritchie, S. J., Bates, T. C., & Deary, I. J. (2015). Is education associated with improvements in general cognitive ability, or in specific skills? Developmental Psychology, 51(5), 573-582

Stern, Y. (2012). Cognitive reserve in ageing and Alzheimer's disease. The Lancet Neurology, 11(11), 1006-1012

Uchida, S., & Kawashima, R. (2008). Reading and solving arithmetic problems improves cognitive functions of normal aged people: A randomized controlled study. Age, 30(1), 21-29)

Wilson, R. S., Boyle, P. A., Yu, L., Barnes, L. L., Schneider, J. A., & Bennett, D. A. (2013). Life-span cognitive activity, neuropathologic burden, and cognitive aging. Neurology, 81(4), 314-321