How Reading Changes Your Brain

Works Cited:

[vanessam]

I stayed away from social media for a month and started reading every night. Almost immediately I began to notice changes in my sleeping schedule and ability to write, focus on school assignments, and approach problems differently. This new habit is changing my life. I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to start reading more.

[discussionswithdemetri]

Here's a major tip for anyone who can't focus and if your thoughts bounce around alot while reading and then you forget what you just read. READ OUT LOUD! Not only does it make you better at comprehending the material but it can make you a better speaker.

[AmanManazir]

John: reads 1 book a week
me: *reads 1 book a year*

[ankit__kapoor]

Time Stamps
1:02 - Attention Span
2:30 - Embodied Cognition
4:26 - Heightened Connectivity

[joseandres_]

Now, reading and exercising regularly takes you to another level in well being. Exercising actually helps the brain a lot.

[theinfinitephilosopher]

this guy is everyone's ideal self.

[TheNitroPython]

I always like the effect of reading a book to feeling like you lived another life, or lived through a lifetime of knowledge. Even books that are purely informational feel like vortex’s, and I attribute the idea to the fact that books take tons of time/effort to write. Sometimes your getting 20 - 30 years of someone’s expertise condensed down into one book☝️

[chrispezanosky]

Me watching the "Attention Span" title slide: "this slide is way too long, I'm 'bout to watch something else"

[evelynmccabe]

This is amazing. I’ve read 4 books so far during this month and it always makes me feel great afterward. Thanks for the motivation to read more.

[akanksharajpati]

I read approximately 2 books in a week & I agree that it literally enriches attention, concentration and most probably helps me to write my own poems or story.
Nice video...

[JuanPablodelaTorre]

I stopped reading fiction years ago. I thought to myself I was wasting time learning impractical things. I feel I kept two of these perks by reading scientific literature, academic works, historical recounts, and things like that. What I didn't keep was my attention span and I'm doing a lot worse at life now because of that.

After this, I'm going back to fiction immediately. Thank you!

[enoch]

Tip for those who wanna start getting into it: Read fiction first

[Dolores.Umbridge]

I honestly think those who don't read are missing out a lot. I read almost everyday even just a few pages. I don't think my day is complete if I don't read something. I think it's so cool to learn something from a book and trust me, it does change your life.

[zach]

1. Attention span 1:09
-Reading is very linear and start-to-finish (vs. digital which involves lots of short attention span context switching)
-This trains you to do other difficult, linear tasks e.g. writing essays
2. Embodied cognition 2:38
-This heightened activity in central sulcus leads to empathetic connection/brain is literally putting yourself in the character's shoes
3. Heightened connectivity in left temporal cortex 4:35
-Improves your ability to use language/facts and your memory
-Helps you find random connections between multiple areas, even after you're done reading (up to 5 days later)

[taylor]

I started reading again last year (slowly but surely) I started a book club two months ago it took us a while to a read a small book. Then I challenged myself to read for 45 minutes a day and I will say it does elevate my mood and I believe it is changing my brain. When I was young I struggled with reading and it was so severe the school wanted to put me in a special needs class. One day something clicked I began to read more and more until I was at pace with my grade then before I knew it I was receiving an award for being a top reader in my grade. I was reading at a 12th grade level (if I remember correctly) I stopped reading as I got older and recently have found delight in books once again

[danconstancia]

I have to say that one of the reasons I’ve started reading was because of John Fish. Reading has definitely changed my way of thinking.

Also, its important to remember that it’s not about how many books you go through, it’s about how many books go through you

[kiarraburd]

ive finally had the time and motivation to read more since the semester ended at university, and im so pleased i did. i got really fed up always saying i wanted to read more and never doing it, so i finally just began and i now spend a lot of my entirely empty days just reading for hours. ive read (soon to be) 20 books since mid-april - including the lord of the rings trilogy which was a goal of mine for a really long time - and i find that i am so much more rooted in myself than i ever have been, and my creativity and proficiency in writing has improved greatly. i definitely find it a bit ironic, though, since im an english major, that i never feel i get to read enough during the school because im so busy meeting deadlines and cant drive myself to read outside of the assigned material, but hopefully this summer will remind me that reading is an absolute joy instead of a punishment.

[junofang]

One of the reasons I admire him is he is able to follow and fulfill the goal he set for himself instead of quitting in the process.

[eyemissmyunclecharles]

When I started reading again during the start of the pandemic, what helped me was treating reading like lifting weights. In the gym I didn't start out squatting 315 lbs, I gradually built up to it increasing the weight by a few lbs almost every session, and making sure I got good rest in between. With reading, I started out trying to get through 10-15 pages per day, then 30, then eventually I was able to read many more pages at a leisurely pace without losing concentration. I fell off the wagon with reading after some stressful events in my life but I'm trying to get back to the habit now. My brain is begging me for mental exercise.

[flawedlogic]

Man I remember those times when I was a smol boi and used to binge read R.L Stine and a lot of fiction books. My brain picturizes everything I read and creates it own interpretation and I would get entranced in the book. I miss that feeling. I think instead of forcefully getting yourself for the betterment of yourself, you should for enjoyment.