How and why to become a reader after 25: Reading coach shares compelling reasons and tips

It is now known that neurogenesis (growth and development of brain tissue) slows down after 25. Unlike the childhood or adolescent or youth brain, which operates like an open network—constantly rewiring, learning, and seeking stimulation—post 25, neural pruning -the trimming away of unused connections, makes the brain more efficient but also less adaptable.

However, there is still hope. The human brain remains capable of rewiring itself through focused effort. It’s like reopening an old room in your house,the dust may take time to clear, but the structure is still intact.The childhood brain is like a maze of neurons, swimming around feverishly, seeking to make connections. This is just like the behavior of children—running around without any rules. This is a golden period where absorption is the highest- according to scientists, every new idea, skill, or story finds a home easily.

This continues through later childhood, adolescence, and teenage years. Habit formation is easier because the brain is highly adaptable and responsive to new routines.The brain’s reward system is also more active in reinforcing activities like reading and turning them into lessons—this is why many adults recall the first book that truly moved them not just as a memory but as a turning point in their identity.So what changes?Not only does the brain undergo changes, but also the environment.

For children, reading isn’t entirely by choice. Most parents make sure that books are a part of their children’s lives, sometimes by reading aloud, sometimes just by making them visible. There are several academic and non-academic triggers too—for some kids, the school library is like an extension of home, whereas for others, a book is a way out of preferred solitude.

From teachers to neighbours to family, there is always someone nudging, reminding, or celebrating a finished book.That scaffolding disappears quietly as we grow up .No one asks what we are reading anymore . Concurrently, around the age of 25, neurogenesis also begins to slow down. (- negligible amount of neurons get added after puberty but the process doesn't stop even into older age.) Learning something new now demands more conscious effort, more repetition, and more patience. The mind, once naturally curious and adaptable, becomes more selective about what it invests its energy in.Shrinking mindspacesAdulthood naturally comes with heightened responsibilities. The mind is constantly occupied with "What's next?" The next meeting ,the next errand ,the next appointment. As the mental space shrinks, even leisure feels scheduled. The good news is that a strong reading habit built early continues to nurture creativity, focus, and emotional depth. In the long run, it becomes more than a pastime; it becomes a lifelong companion that keeps the mind young and the spirit curious.However, those whose neural pathways are not already built for reading find it difficult to commit to the open-minded exploration that reading demands. Behaviorally, this looks like inflexibility and sometimes, even laziness.Why you should make the effort post 25People who don’t read often underestimate how much language shapes thought. Without exposure to complex sentences or layered ideas, expression becomes transactional. Feelings shrink into phrases like “I’m fine” or “It’s okay,” not because there isn’t more to say, but because the words don’t exist in memory.

This could extend to all realms of self-expression. This is not about extroversion or introversion but just about getting your point of view across, no matter your vocation.With time, the difference between people who read and people who don’t widens. The former see the world in layers while the latter often live on the surface of things. In the absence of any other developmental practices like meditation, dedication to a hobby such as dance or music or even the pursuit of excellence in domains like physical fitness, gardening - life gets more and more limiting with time.

Life becomes a string of events with folks experiencing everything but interpreting very little.It is proven that reading is one of the few activities that activates nearly every region of the brain; be it language, emotion, memory and even motor neurons. This is because when you read your brain doesn’t just process words it rehearses experiences. People who never cultivate the habit of reading often miss this inner rehearsal.

Their empathy, though naturally present, doesn’t get trained and honed to become an effective tool for social interactions.

At the other end of the spectrum, their pursuit of details and willingness to invest rigorously into gaining expertise in a subject also diminishes considerably.Yes, it is more difficult after age 25—the trimming away of unused neural connections means that it will take an immense amount of focus and energy in order to learn.

This focus and energy feels almost like 'resistance.' So much so, those adults may want to back away from it rather than fight through it.Now this is the exact moment when you need to double down and fight this resistance; acknowledge it and remember that this is something you want to change, and reinforce it. For any cognitive skill that you want to acquire, it is important to recognize it, pay attention to the resistance, and push through towards the change. The resistance is a signal that you're beginning the journey of learning. So make that extra effort to reinforce specific wiring and plug in the benefits of reading.Authored by: Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta, author and the reading coach