What actually happens to your brain when you stop reading?
- Your mind starts to wander and your attention span shortens.
- It takes more effort for your brain to process information, so you start feeling restless or nervous.
- The lack of stimulation makes it difficult for the body to fall asleep and once you do finally sleep, there are high chances that you’ll wake up after just one or two hours because your mind has been racing with thoughts since before bedtime.
Before you get into this post, you may also want to check recent reading statistics.
According to a new study from MIT, it reveals that the brain has a region dedicated to reading, the skill of reading, even before children learn to read.
The brain is a complicated organ, and it’s really easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life.
We all know that reading can be an escape from reality, but what happens when you stop reading?
In this article, you will learn about how reading plays a major part in stimulating cognitive activity in the brain, how it sharpens the brain, while a lack of reading often leads to a dull and less focused brain.
In short, what happens when we read.
Table of Contents
The Technical Aspect Of Reading
Reading is an advanced process of decoding symbols in order to derive meaning and comprehension.
Reading is not only a means of learning a language but also to improve your communication skills and of presenting information.
Like most languages, it is a complex interaction between the text and the reader which is formed by the reader’s background knowledge, personal experiences, his attitude, and the community in which he is culturally and socially situated.
The reading process demands:
- Continuous practice
- Creative thinking and imagination
- Analysis and retrospection
What Happens To Your Brain When We Read?
In a world where information is the new currency:
Reading is the best source of continuous learning, knowledge and acquiring more of that currency.
Having that cutting edge can often mean reading a book or two every now and then.
This habit can put you in the top 3% of earners.
The first and most apparent benefit is that reading improves brain connectivity..
As Dr. Seuss once wrote,
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Who wouldn’t like to go places?
what does reading do for the brain?
This blog post is here to make a point about reading. And how this simple act can change your life for the better.
Anyone who knows one or two things about reading will tell you that indeed it is an immersive experience.
It gives you a chance to learn new things.
That’s not all.
Reading makes your come brain alive with imagery while eliciting an emotional reaction.
Why reading is important
Reading has so many benefits.
And it doesn’t matter what you read, whether it’s a blog, a book, or a newspaper, it’s all the same.
So what are some of the main reasons that should inspire you to read more?
Well, here are some of them:
Improve your brain power by reading
Reading is a great way of expanding your brain power.
Regular reading increases:
memory function
memory sharpness
even at an old age.
A research published in a leading neurology website linked long-term memory issues to lack of cognitive activity all through life.
Reading offers a simple and effective cognitive activity and its no wonder people who read a lot tend to be shaper and smarter.
Improve focus and concentration
Reading is also a good way to improve focus and concentration.
After all, reading a book from cover to cover is not easy. It takes a lot of focus and concentration to complete until the end.
Reading regularly will train your brain to focus and concentrate better and you can apply these skills in everyday life.
Reading books is a great way to relax
Reading is also a great way to relax and relieve some stress after a long day of work.
A research published by the University of Sussex in 2009 showed that reading reduced stress levels up to 68%. (The Telegraph, March 2009).
This is quite a figure and the great thing is that it doesn’t matter what you read, it will take away the stress levels.
Reading makes you smarter
What happens when we read…
Does reading books make you smarter?
No matter how you look at it, when you read, you give yourself a chance to learn something new.
There is no end to knowledge, dedicating your life to learning as much as you can is often recommended. Reading makes you smarter according to Examined existence.
Reading ensures that you are always informed regarding many issues. With that knowledge, you will become smarter and more exposed.
What Happens To Your Brain When You Stop Reading?
For people who are already used to reading books there can never be going back.
Developing a reading habit is already hard enough.
Stopping all over a sudden could lead to many issues.
The following are some of the things that might happen if you decide not to read anymore:
You are no longer as informed as you use to be
When you stop reading you will start to lose the informative touch, the edge, you used to have.
Most of the time, the people who are informed often get that knowledge from reading.
Reading is the best way to stay with the trends and to know what is happening around you.
Stopping to read will limit the flow of information that you used to have.
Soon you will lose the edge in this world of information.
Your brain starts to lose its sharpness
Reading plays a major part in stimulating cognitive activity. This often leads to a sharper and more focused brain.
If you are already an avid reader. Your brain is already super sharp and your cognitive ability is far much better.
You might reverse these gains if you stop reading.
You feel something is missing
People who have made reading a routine part of life may not be able to live without it.
It’s not easy to take a central part of your life and get rid of it.
It will take time for you to adjust and perhaps even when you decide to go back to reading, it will not feel as good and exciting as it once did.
But, you will always feel like something is missing in your life.
Reading is important.
Looking at the benefits you get.
Everybody should develop a culture of reading something at least once or twice a week.
The internet has definitely changed how we read.
Access to books and publications is now easier.
Some people prefer hard-copy books, the most important thing is the information.
Petri Maatta is a photographer, filmmaker, and webdesigner who has been working for over 20 years in the creative industry. Fascinated by manifesting for business reasons, Petri was determined to find out what it took to create success. He started his career with seven years of business failures before he found success by learning about manifesting from a mentor with a Fortune 500 company. Today Petri shares his knowledge through DreamMaker courses designed to help people change their businesses and lives while living on their terms.
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