Read Well, Live Well: 5 Ways Reading Benefits Your Brain

Picture this: It’s a stormy, springtime afternoon, and the house is (miraculously) drenched in solitude and silence. As rain patters against the window, you’re curled up on the couch — eyes devouring the words of a novel, heart oscillating with the plot’s twists and turns.

A page-turner lights us up on every level: mind, body, and spirit. Beyond merely entertaining us, our brain reaps a handful of benefits while we read, in ways we seldom acknowledge. In fact, it’s such a healthy pastime that we say reading IS wellness. In partnership with Penguin Random House, we’ll show you exactly what we mean… With plenty of recommendations for what books will strike your fancy this summer.