World Mental Health Day: Why reading is a hobby we should all enjoy

Saturday, 10th October, 2026, is World Mental Health Day and I'm sharing some reasons why reading is a hobby we should all enjoy because of the positive impact it can have on our health.

World Mental Health Day is this Saturday. For 2026, the theme is 'Lived experiences heard: real voice, real change'.

The purpose of this theme is to reiterate the importance of conversation. Speaking to others about your experiences and hearing them discuss their own can be incredibly powerful.

mentalhealth.org.uk has shared some tips on how to talk about mental health as part of this year's World Mental Health Day campaign.

And whilst learning about the lived experiences of others is so incredibly important, I'm sharing some reasons below why the fictional stories of books can be equally powerful.

Why reading is a hobby we should all enjoy

2026 is the National Year of Reading. This is a national campaign aiming to get more and more people involved in reading and experiencing the joy that books can bring.

Reading doesn't only bring joy. It can positively impact your mental health for a variety of reasons. However, the number of readers is declining, particularly among children and teens.

But I'm sharing some benefits of reading and reasons why it is a hobby everyone can enjoy, no matter your taste.

Accessible to all

A lot of people don't enjoy reading or aren't inclined to take part in reading because they find barriers in their way. They may have difficulty with their eyes or have been diagnosed with dyslexia.

However, in today's world, there are so many ways to comprehend books, and I'm not just referring to large-print books.

E-readers or iPads are a great way to read a book if you struggle with small font or reading text on a page. You can adjust the font size, the brightness of the screen and even look up definitions of words. Or, if you fancy, graphic novels for those of us who are more visual readers.

Audiobooks are also an incredibly important source of books. If you struggle reading words on paper, listening to audiobooks can be helpful as narrators read the story to you. Plus, if you can multi-task, you can listen to your audiobook whilst doing the housework, at the gym or even driving.

Reduces mental stresses

Our world can be rather stressful. Especially when there are government changes, wars in some countries and a cost of living crisis.

But if there's one thing reading can do is provide an escape from reality. Reading a book, particularly a piece of fiction, allows you to escape from your reality and jump into a new world.

This, in turn, can reduce your mental stress because you aren't focused on your life; you're reading that of others and allowing yourself to relax and just enjoy the story.

Opens our eyes

As I said in the point above, reading allows us to experience a new way of life.

By doing so, we are increasing our knowledge of the world, understanding what other people go through, and discovering new cultures.

It also fosters empathy by presenting us with new situations and letting us understand what the characters are feeling, which translates nicely into reality.

So, a huge benefit of reading is that it opens our eyes to the world around us and beyond.

Sparks inspiration

As stated in a Cambridge article, reading books can inspire positive life changes.

By reading books, we're exposing ourselves to the lives of characters and of real people, if reading non-fiction. From these, we can learn more about different experiences, whether that's living in a new country, a sport, or just learning to prioritise healthy relationships.

As a result, reading can spark inspiration about how we can live our lives and raise self-awareness. If you've always wanted to travel, you might find yourself doing so after reading a summer romance set in Canada, for example.

This can only benefit your health because you will be prioritising yourself and things that make you happy. Like the World Mental Health Day theme for 2026, lived experiences can inspire real change.

Take 10 to Read

Now, this isn't technically a benefit of reading. However, it is a way for us all to get involved with the activity.

As part of the National Year of Reading campaign, the National Literacy Trust and the British Council are aiming to set a new Guinness World Record for the number of people reading online in 12 hours.

The message of this campaign is: 'whatever you're into, take 10 to read into it.'

There are four sessions throughout the day, depending on the age group of the readers. The different sessions include different activities, but all sessions will include a dedicated ten-minute reading session.

The schedule is as follows from the Literacy Trust website:

9am, 1pm, 5pm - Ages 5 to 8 session with Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Nakul P

10am, 2pm, 6pm - Ages 8 to 12 session with Frank Cottrell-Boyce

11am, 3pm, 7pm - Ages 12 to 16 Nathanael Lessore

12noon, 4pm, 8pm - Ages 16+ Coco and Zubs

All times are British Summer Time (BST).

The registration link can be found here: https://literacytrust.org.uk/events/take-10-record-attempt/

So, if you're someone who loves inspiring better health and wellbeing, raising awareness of mental health and wants to read more, I hope these benefits of reading have helped persuade you.

Until next time...