Reading is great for your mental health and well-being. There are also benefits to making it a daily habit, which you can achieve by setting goals and creating supporting routines.

Great escapes into the past, armchair travel, and fantastical worlds are all great reasons to read. So is escaping from the stress of the news and a constant stream of advertisements.

Reading can be super fun and can help you reach a state of calm. It may even help you live longer if you make it a daily habit. Reading builds empathy and vocabulary, improves sleep, reduces anxiety, and strengthens your brain.

It can also help you practice monotasking, which builds your ability to focus and reduce overwhelm.

Read on to learn why you should make reading a daily habit, what our editors have to say on the subject, plus tips to make this habit stick.

A 2024 analysis of a pilot initiative called Reading for Wellbeing (RfW) found that increased opportunities for reading for pleasure increased a sense of self-efficacy and connectedness, which could impact people’s sense of well-being.

Why daily? Research has found that daily habits profoundly affect both short-term and long-term health and quality of life.

Along with regular physical activity, proper nutrition, weight management, and avoiding tobacco products, habits that support stress reduction and mental health (hello reading!) are a key pillar of a healthy lifestyle.

Sticking to a daily routine can lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms compared to those with less structured routines.

The thrill of escape

“When things get really hectic and stressful, reading helps my brain unwind and escape. This makes me laugh because I mostly read crime and psychological thrillers. But, it is still a relaxing hobby for me.

— Mandy French, Editor

Even if you just read for 10 minutes per day, that counts as a solid part of your daily routine. But if the thought of making it happen daily stresses you out, know that if you miss a day, it’s OK, just get back to it the next day. Reading should help relieve stress, not cause it.

Plan when and where you’re going to read each day and set a goal that feels achievable — whether that’s 10 minutes, an hour, 10 pages, or 2 chapters. Allow for some adjustment and be as consistent as possible.

When starting a new healthy habit, finding a time that works for you is key. Perhaps you’re an early riser and can fit in some reading time in the quiet before you start your day, or maybe reading for 15 minutes during your lunch break works well for you.

Afternoon breaks, reading instead of scrolling, and maybe watching one episode of something instead of two, so you can read instead, are all great ways to fit in some time among the pages.

A favorite among many readers is the pre-bedtime reading session. Reading before bed can help ease stress, improve sleep quality, help with insomnia, and help you sleep for longer.

read to sleep

“I always read in the evenings, and always in bed. It’s generally what I do before going to sleep, as I can only read for about half an hour before my eyes start getting tired. It’s one of the best ways I have to truly switch off before I sleep, and I look forward to the little escape. That’s what has made it a fairly easy habit to get into — and I don’t fall into habits easily at all — I look forward to it every evening!”

— Lois Zoppi, market editor

Use it as a transition

“I read at the end of the day, most days. It’s a good way to help my brain transition to bedtime, as I’m usually on the laptop up until that point. I ideally like to read a chapter or two, but if I’m feeling particularly tired I’ll just read a few magazine articles instead.

I typically read nonfiction, and I like to make sure I have a few different books on the go in case I’m not in the mood for one of them or if one of them requires a bit more concentration than I can manage at the end of the day!”

— Amy McLean, Editor

And reading to your kiddos counts! It can be a great way to share the wonderful joy of reading with those you love and is beneficial for children’s emotional and social development.

Story time

“I’ve read out loud to my kids (“Harry Potter” / The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” with all the voices 😁) every night before bedtime since they were tiny. It can help to build fluency and tone when speaking in public, and is a great way to inspire children to be more confident and expressive readers. We’re now 100 pages from finishing our second reading of the Harry Potter series with round two of “The Hobbit” and “LOTR” to come. What’s been so lovely is to see our kids now asking to read their school books out loud to me as well. It means it takes a little longer to get to bed but I think they know that — and you can’t begrudge them!”

— Robin Hough, Senior vice president of content

According to a 2024 systematic review encompassing 20 studies on habit formation it a new habit can start forming within about 2 months, but the time required to really lock it in varies significantly across individuals, with 2 to 5 months being typical.

Many studies show that 66 days is a common timeframe for forming simple habits — like reading.

Setting yourself up with some fun reading supplies can make your reading journey all the better. If you like to annotate your books, make sure to have your favorite pencils, pens, highlighters, and colorful sticky tabs at the ready.

If you’re hesitant to try annotating, ease into it simply by using sticky tabs to tag lines that speak to you or that you want to be able to find again later. And when you feel that itch to underline and make notes, take your pencil to the page!

Here are some other ways to enhance your reading experience:

  • Start a reading journal where you set reading goals and review the books you read.
  • Have a crafty analog afternoon and make some pretty bookmarks.
  • Try buddy reading! This is when just you and a friend read the same book at the same time and can then chat all about it.
  • Join a monthly book club!
  • Listen to audiobooks in the bathtub, on the treadmill, or while you’re cleaning the house if you really do want to multitask.
  • Get comfy! Bring out your favorite cozy blanket, pillows, and your favorite hot drink.

And here are a few more thoughts from our editors who love to read in their spare time:

set a page goal

“I have an almost daily reading ritual, usually before bed and while I’m eating. How long I read for varies — I set a page goal instead, which is typically 100 pages per day. Of course, I let myself go over this number; it just serves as a baseline. Having a page goal is what makes the practice stick for me, because then instead of counting down the minutes, I’m counting up the pages.

I use reading as an escape from my phone. When I find myself scrolling, I recognize that my time could be better spent doing something productive and switch to a book. It’s much better for my mental health, too, getting away from the rabbit hole that is social media.”

— Sarah Matysiak, associate editor

go hands-free

I read in bed! I use this clicker ring and a gooseneck holder for my e-reader so I can read lying down with my arms under the covers. I usually read until I can’t keep my eyes open anymore — so this can vary, but around an hour each night if I had to ballpark it!

I think it’s important to read every day because it can offer a bit more of a “challenge” than what you see day to day in the news, on social media, etc. I’ve been on a classics kick (currently working my way through “Anna Karenina”) and I can feel myself working that muscle, so to speak. My boyfriend and I read the same book together, so it’s great to discuss with him!

— Sarah Choi, editor

Weekend bliss

During the week days, I like to read at night in bed as the last step of my nightly ritual. It helps me unwind and keeps me off screen (depending if I am reading from my e-reader or physical book)! My baseline reading goal is 50 pages a night or until my eyes start to close.

During the weekends, I love to curl up on the couch in the afternoon with a good book and a blanket. I don’t set a time or page limit for myself then. I just allow myself to get lost in a book until I have to pull myself away for other activities/responsibilities.

— Victoria Torrez, Senior influencer marketing manager

Reading can be an important part of your routine, whether you love to pick up a fantasy novel that transports you to a world of dragon riders, a thriller that somehow lulls you to sleep, or a nonfiction book or magazine.

Reducing stress and anxiety, increasing your empathy and attention span, and improving sleep are just a few of the benefits.

If you wish to make reading a daily habit, you can start today and reap the benefits for the rest of your life.