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Edition #222 – April 4th, 2024
​A newsletter by Anne-Laure Le Cunff​

The Reading Mind

Humans are the only animals capable of reading, an invention that’s only been around for a few thousand years. That’s nowhere near enough time for our brains to have evolved dedicated circuitry for reading. And yet, somehow, specific brain areas are consistently associated with reading across different cultures.

This puzzle, known as the “reading paradox”, has fascinated scientists for a while. How do humans learn to read in such a way that the same brain regions are activated regardless of where we grow up, and despite the fact that reading is too modern to be the product of evolution? And what benefits can we get from regularly activating those parts of our brain by reading everyday?

Reading is a natural activity

Cognitive neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene proposed a solution to the reading paradox: the neuronal recycling hypothesis. The theory suggests that our brains can repurpose existing circuitry for new functions, allowing us to acquire new cognitive abilities like reading.

Rather than evolving entirely new brain circuits, reading likely piggybacks on systems that were originally designed for other purposes, such as brain regions that were initially devoted to recognizing visual patterns in nature.

For instance, the ability to distinguish between the shapes of different leaves or animals in nature may be repurposed to help us differentiate between letters such as b and d. Through exposure and practice, the brain’s existing circuitry is “recycled” for the task of reading text.

This means that reading is a natural activity for our brains. Our ancestors used to rely on their pattern recognition skills to read nature and now we use those same abilities to read text. And reading is actually great for our cognitive health and well-being.

Why you should read everyday

Because it actively engages your brain, reading is one of the healthiest hobbies for your mind. Not only is reading educational and informative, which is beneficial in itself, but it also rewires the connections in your brain, leading to many benefits.

1. Stress reduction. Studies show that reading can help relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles, with a reduction in stress of up to 68% in people when silently reading a literary work for only six minutes.
2. Mental stimulation. Research suggests that reading can slow the progress of Alzheirmer’s disease and dementia by keeping your brain active and engaged, especially when reading out loud.
3. Memory improvement. Reading has been shown to slow the rate of memory deterioration and even improve your memory and thinking skills.
4. Vocabulary expansion. Reading is one of the best ways to learn new words. That’s why many researchers advocate for more reading experience in schools.
5. Better focus. Researchers have found that, compared to using social media, reading helps improve concentration by increasing the capacity for longer attention spans.
6. Improved brain connectivity. Studies have revealed that reading a narrative improves the connections inside the left temporal cortex of the brain—the area which is associated with language reception. The increased connectivity lasts for a few days after a reading session.
7. Stronger analytical skills. When reading fiction, your brain takes notes of all of the details and gets into critical thinking mode to try to figure out what happens next, a practice that is useful not just when reading but in day-to-day life and work.

As playwright and novelist Somerset Maugham put it, “to acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.” And yet… So many distractions, so many series to watch, so many podcasts to listen to. Finding the time or the motivation to read can be hard.

How to cultivate a reading habit

There are lots of other techniques to read more, but many rely on strong willpower or accountability, which may not be practical for everyone. Instead, here are three simple tips you can experiment with right away to make a habit of reading more:

• Pick a book you’ll enjoy. If business books are not your thing, forget about trying to read that one everyone is talking about at work. Are you a fan of science-fiction? Short poems? History? Yes, even comics count. Fiction, non-fiction, poems, blogs, newspapers, magazines… Anything that captures your interest and your imagination will be better than a book you find boring and stop reading.
• Commit to reading one page every day. I’ve seen lots of advice recommending reading anywhere from five to ten pages a day, but that’s very hard to stick to. Instead, commit to reading one single page. Tell yourself you cannot go to sleep if you haven’t read that one daily page. If you feel like reading more, that’s great, but your only pact with yourself should be to read one page every single day.
• Set a reading time and place. This could be just before going to sleep. After having dinner. On your way to work in the morning. On the way back from the gym. Shielding time and having a set place will help to build a stronger habit. Then, make sure you don’t have any distractions and lose yourself into reading.

Reading can bring a lot of goodness to your brain and to your life. So next time you have a bit of free time, consider picking up a book instead of scrolling through videos on social media. And encourage your loved ones to read more—their brains will thank you.

👀 Into the Mind of...

BRAD STULBERG

Each week I ask a curious mind about their habits, routines, and rituals. This week I interviewed Brad Stulberg, talented thinker, coach, and bestselling author of The Practice of Groundedness and Master of Change.

One daily practice you can’t do without? My movement practice, which is about 45-90 minutes of physical activity, which consists of some combination of strength training and brisk walking. It makes me a better writer, father, husband, friend, and person. It's really integral to who I am.

One strategy to restart your creative engine? Long walks outside. There is nothing better for my creativity than a walk. It can take about thirty minutes or so for my brain to release from whatever it is holding onto, and then random associations and ideas start to flow. It's a wonderful thing.

One mindset shift that transformed your work? You don't need to feel good to get going, you need to get going to give yourself a shot at feeling good. Some days the work requires more activation energy, other days it requires less, but either way, you've got to get started and give yourself a chance. Getting started, especially when you don't feel like it, can be hard. It takes a lot of self-discipline, which is why it requires self-kindness too. If you want to be rugged and withstand change and uncertainty and all kinds of emotional states that are part and parcel of even the most average human existence, then you've got to be flexible too.

Explore Brad’s books

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🤝 Brain Trust

If you enjoy the newsletter, you'll love our community of curious minds who grow together through interactive workshops and safe discussion spaces. Here is what we have planned in the next week:
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​• Are you navigating a career pivot? Join Gosia for our next Creative Hour on Monday April 8th where she’ll guide you in exploring your next steps and approaching a career change without stress.
​• Do you want to make progress on your projects? Tackle your to-do list while enjoying the company of fellow community members. Lukas and Javier are hosting coworking sessions on Mondays and Thursdays, covering all timezones.
​• Ready for your next personal experiment? We have monthly accountability sessions to review our experiments and discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what you want to focus on next. The next one is on April 30th. It’s a great way to build accountability and get to connect.

All of these and future events are included in the price of the annual membership ($49), as well as access to the recordings of all our previous sessions and past cohort-based courses.

🌊 Brain Waves

Have a friend who wants to make the most of their mind? Send them the newsletter using your unique referral link below and unlock Reflective Minds, a database of good questions from great thinkers and creators.

Until next week, take care!
Anne-Laure.

P.S. This is the secret to effortless work.