Why reading is good for your mental health

Jon explores the benefits of reading for your mental health, and how to encourage a love of books in Suffolk

The power of reading for mental health

During lockdown (remember that?), I didn’t jump on the sourdough bread trend. Truth be told, I’d been baking sourdough for years already, so it wasn’t exactly a novel hobby for me. Instead, I turned my attention to collecting signed books.

There are certainly worse things to develop a mild obsession with, though I’ll admit it’s a costly pastime. My mother-in-law never quite understood my fascination, especially as she’s the type to pick up book five in a crime series without having read the previous four. It’s safe to say we have different approaches to reading.

For me, there’s something special about knowing the author has physically handled the book, or at least a few pages. It creates a sense of connection and transforms the book into a piece of art. Even better is meeting the author at events like the Bury St Edmunds Literary Festival.

Of course, these days I have a towering ‘to read’ pile. I haven’t crunched the numbers, but I suspect I could stop buying books altogether and still never manage to read them all.

Why reading matters

I have three reasons for bringing this up:

1. Suffolk Mind proudly partners with the National Literacy Trust (NLT) on the Get Suffolk Reading campaign, offering support and resources to schools throughout the county.
2. In 2026, the Government will mark the Year of Reading for Pleasure. Suffolk Mind will be supporting the “Go all in” campaign to encourage more people to embrace reading.
3. Reading is proven to benefit mental health. Our Emotional Needs Audit—a validated measure of wellbeing—shows daily readers are twice as likely to enjoy good mental health compared to those who never read. Even reading a couple of times a week makes you one and a half times more likely to meet your emotional needs and feel mentally well.

While this is encouraging, our research also revealed that, out of 10,882 people, more than half either never read or only do so a few times a year.

Encouraging reading in Suffolk

Improving mental health in Suffolk—and beyond—could start with encouraging more frequent reading. The NLT reports that around one in six adults have very poor reading skills, so helping adults learn or improve their reading could be a vital step.

In our own lives, carving out time for a book—despite busy schedules or lack of privacy—could make a difference. Just half an hour spent reading instead of watching telly or scrolling online might nudge your wellbeing in the right direction.

And with the Year of Reading approaching, why not consider volunteering at your local primary school to read with children? Volunteers are twice as likely to experience good mental health—so if you combine reading and volunteering, you’re onto a winner.

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