Research from Yale University shows that people who read live longer. Reading for 30 minutes a day could help us. Researchers said reading keeps the mind active, reduces stress and makes us take better care of our health. The researchers said books help the brain more than newspapers and magazines, but any kind of reading is good. In the study, researchers looked at the lifestyles, reading habits, health and education of 3,500 men and women over a 12-year period. All of the people were at least 50 years old at the start of the research.

The study is in a journal. It found that people who read for up to 3.5 hours a week were 17 per cent less likely to die than those who read no books. Those who read for over 3.5 hours a week were 23 per cent less likely to die. A researcher said: "Older individuals, regardless of gender, health, wealth or education, showed the survival advantage of reading books." She added: "Individuals over the age of 65 spend an average of 4.4 hours per day watching television. Efforts to redirect leisure time into reading books could prove to be beneficial."