What is Reading
However, excessive screen time and constant social media use have shortened attention spans and lowered quality of life. People are less focused, more distracted, and mentally fatigued. Encouraging people to read is a powerful way to reverse this trend. Books promote deep thinking, concentration, and mental well-being—helping individuals disconnect from digital noise and reconnect with meaningful, enriching experiences.
A room without books is like a body without a soul.
The Reading Crisis
The statistics reveal a concerning decline in reading habits across all age groups, highlighting an urgent need for action, as many people now increasingly turn to watching short videos in social media rather than reading books in their free time.
“Just 1 in 3 (32.7%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 said they enjoyed reading in 2025. This is the lowest level since we first asked the question in 2005.”
”Only 1 in 5 (18.7%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 said that they read daily, again, the lowest levels since 2005.”
”In 2024, 1 in 8 (13.3%) children and young people aged 5 to 18 said that they did not have a book of their own at home, while nearly 9 in 10 (86.7%) children and young people said that they did.”
”One in four children hasn't reached the expected level of reading by the age of 11. Many of these children will struggle to keep up at secondary school.”
”Students are less able to learn other curricula if they do not develop sufficient reading skills by the middle of primary school.”
”In England, 1 in 2 adults don't regularly read.”
”66% of fourth-grade students in the United States are not proficient readers.”
Progress
”Only 5% of adults in the world are considered proficient readers.”
”Approximately 21% of adults in the United States read below a fifth-grade level.”
”Only 13% of US adults are considered proficient readers, meaning they can understand complex and abstract information.”
Benefits of Reading
Scientific research consistently demonstrates the transformative power of reading across cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions. So why not grab a book or an e-reader today? Let's discover the world through the power of words!
”Reading for pleasure early in childhood is linked to better cognitive performance and mental wellbeing in adolescence.”
”Children who read books often at age 10 and more than once a week at age 16 gain higher results in maths, vocabulary and spelling tests at age 16 than those who read less regularly.”
”Regular readers for pleasure in the UK reported fewer feelings of stress and depression than non-readers, and they report high life-satisfaction levels.”
”Higher literacy skills are associated with a range of positive societal benefits, including having a stronger sense of belonging to society and being more likely to trust others.”
”Reading can improve brain connectivity and function, with studies showing that reading regularly can help delay cognitive decline in old age.”
”The more students read, the better their reading skills become.”
Statistics
”Reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by 68%.”
How to Gain Reading Habit
Core Principle: Consistency and enjoyment matter more than speed or prestige—build sustainable habits that fit your lifestyle.
Break books into manageable chunks—commit to specific time (30-60 minutes) or pages (5-20) daily based on book complexity.
Read during commutes, waiting rooms, lunch breaks, gym sessions, or replace phone scrolling time with reading.
Begin with magazine articles, short stories, or poetry before tackling dense classics like Moby Dick or War and Peace.
Keep 2-3 books in rotation—switch between genres (technical/fiction) when you need a mental break or lose momentum.
Don't pressure yourself with "must-read" lists—choose books that genuinely interest you rather than treating reading like homework.
Try audiobooks for multitasking, eBooks for convenience, or graphic novels/comics for visual learning and cognitive benefits.
Use positive peer pressure and diverse perspectives to stay motivated and gain new insights into your reading.
Monitor reading habits through apps (Goodreads, StoryGraph), journals, or photo galleries to identify patterns and maintain motivation.
Avoid sunk cost fallacy—abandon boring books immediately rather than getting stuck in reading limbo that kills your momentum.
Use library resources, staff guides, and databases to discover books matched to your specific interests and reading level.
📹 Educational Videos
Discover insights from experts, researchers, and thought leaders about the importance of reading and how to develop better reading habits.
Reading Speed Test
Calculate Your Reading Speed
Take the simple timed reading test and find out your reading speed in words per minute.
Reading Speed Calculator
Take the simple timed reading test and find out your reading speed in words per minute.
It takes about only 5 minutes
After the test, you can also see how long it would take you to finish different books based on your reading speed!
Calculate Your Reading Speed
To begin calculating your reading speed:
- Select a sample from any of the classic books
- Customize your font and line spacing
- Once you are ready, click on the START RECORDING button and read the passage of text
- Once you reach the end, click the STOP RECORDING button
to be added