Why reading The Scotsman could help you live longer

Artistic activities, such as reading, can help slow the ageing process, a new scientific study suggests (Picture: Clemens Bilan) | Getty Images for Bread & Butter by Zalando

The Scotsman has long extolled the benefits of regular exercise and has an even longer track record of celebrating the arts. We concede that, at times, we may have possibly, on occasion, sounded just a little a bit preachy about the benefits of both to mind, body and soul.

However, readers who have been won over to our way of thinking and ditched the life of a slothful philistine for regular jogs to an art gallery can thank us now.

READ MORE: Why 'ten minutes of exercise' is a New Year's resolution we should embrace

For, according to a new scientific study, people who take part in some kind of arts activity at least once a week appear to age up to 4 per cent more slowly than those who rarely do so. This cultural elixir of longer life was about as powerful as exercising at least once a week rather than doing no physical activity.

Among the arts activities included in the study were visiting a gallery or museum, listening to music, and reading. So might one say “read The Scotsman if you want to live longer”? Well, as modest as we are virtuous, we couldn’t possibly comment...