What Are the Benefits of Reading? You already know that books are fun, but did you know that regular reading is also important for cognitive and emotional well-being? As adults, we know that having access to books is crucial to kids' cognitive, social, and empathic development, but many of us don't realize how reading is important to us grown-ups, too. In fact, the benefits of reading are broad and long-lasting, even, in some cases, helping us to live longer! From reducing stress and increasing the quality of sleep to slowing down the onset of dementia, the benefits of regularly putting time aside to lose ourselves in a good book are far-reaching and, in some cases, life-changing. If we all knew how good regular reading is for us, perhaps we would make fewer excuses not to do it. If you need more reasons to make regular reading a part of your life, we've put together a comprehensive list of the benefits of reading for adults as well as some guidance on how to read more that will have you putting down your phone and picking up a book in no time.