The various questions that surround the art of reading books are usually based on what we all experience and go through or have gone through.
One specific area that I’ll dive into with this post is actually, binge-reading (reading all day).
I know most of have done it before,I know I have.
During high-school and university, I spent so much time binge-studying to the point where I could literally lose track of time. Some would say its a good or bad thing but it all depends right?
Well of course it does.
With this in mind, is it OK to read all day?
It is OK to read all day as it can help you consume a lot of information within a short space of time. However, it can be both stressful and difficult to pull off. You’ll most likely experience eye strain, back pain, mental strain which will leave you groggy and ultimately exhausted.
The remedy is to read and take regular breaks to let your body and brain rest and let it process the information you’re feeding it. This is helpful and can make reading all day more efficient and less exhausting.
Side effects of over reading
Eye Strain
One of the common side effects that I’ve heard people complain about with over-reading is eye strain.
Let’s face it, reading all day does sound appealing because it can have you learn a lot faster as well as help you get through your material faster.
However, if you don’t do it strategically, your eyes will probably hurt from looking at words all day.
In some situations eye strain can be bad enough to make your head hurt….
And we are trying to avoid that kind of discomfort ofcourse.
So, the basic ideal remedy is to spend a fair amount of time taking breaks to let our minds rest as well as our eyes and body in general.
When we introduce breaks into binge-reading, we can do it a lot more effectively with less stress and pain on our part, so take note of this and use it.
Back Pain
Have you ever spent all day seating in a chair?
if you have, I’m sure you’ve experienced the bad effects of being seated in one position for too long.
If you spend the whole day reading non stop, you’ll most likely be in a single position the whole day. Especially if you’re sitted in a chair.
This can make your back hurt and make your whole reading experience painful and disorienting.
Your best bet is getting up every now and then to take A break or simply move to different reading spots.
This can help you stretch your back and legs so you get your blood flowing.
So don’t underestimate the power of breaks.
Exhaustion
Anything that you do repetidely for long periods of time within a day is bound to get you exhausted in some way. The explanation here is simple.
Any activity that is done in excess can easily burn you out and have you feeling tired.
Reading all day is definitely highly productive but it is also very tiring and exhausting.
You spend your whole day focused on words whilst trying to make sense and comprehend what you’re reading. Trust me this is not at all easy.
The remedy is taking breaks to rest and give yourself the chance to revive your concentration, awareness and physique. These three things are so crucial to your reading experience.
Without them, it is difficult to focus and keep yourself reading for long periods of time.
Lose Sleep
Spending the whole day reading can make you lose sleep.
Reading makes your brain active, therefore subjecting it to an entire day of reading will make it highly functional.
it will be processing a lot of information at a quick rate which will make work harder.
depending on the stuff you’re reading, sleep can evade you.
This is why you want to balance out your reading sprees with some good old breaks.
Take a walk, take a short nap or anything else that can help you unplug from reading for a little bit.
Is it unhealthy to read all day?
We all like to read and sometimes we get into introspective moments where we ask ourselves whether our reading is too much or not…
Reading is like any other hobby, a highly productive one to be specific and you’ll most likely think about whether its unhealthy to read all day.
So let’s adress that.
When it comes to reading all day and whether it’s healthy or not, what has to be considered is how the actual reading is being done.
People read differently, if you spend your whole day reading without even as much as taking a break you’ll most likely get exhausted and burnt out which is taxing on your body.
Unhealthy is not the word that I’d use. Reading is a healthy habit but it has to be done in moderation to help you stay focused as well as protect you from getting burnt out. It can be unhealthy if it’s done in a way that leaves you feeling sick afterward due to exhaustion, lack of sleep, eye strain and back strain.
Taking a few breaks here and there will make reading for long hours more pleasant as well as healthier to a desirable degree.
Is it even possible to read all day?
We’ve basically been discussing reading all day through out this post but one may actually wonder, is it even possible to read all day or is all this in theory?
The fact is, it is possible to read all day especially for people that are used to reading. It may be unbearable for people that don’t read that often.
In most cases a person that doesn’t read that much will probably go a few hours reading and get exhausted or simply bored. Which is typically common so don’t worry too much if you’re at this stage.
If you’re a person that is used to spending time on books reading. You’ll find it a bit challenging to read the whole day, but you can most likely pull it off.
I read a lot for both my work and my personal experience. I can read the whole day but I have a strategy that works best.
If you’re looking to read for longer you can use this strategy.
Basically, all you have to do is split reading time into 2 hour sessions. After a 2 hour read spend 30 minutes to an hour relaxing and resting before starting to read again.
Take a longer break after doing about three 2 hour sessions to help you decompress information as well as rest your mind and body.
Does reading alter your brain?
Reading does literally change your mind/brain. The more you read, the more your brain absorbs information.
Increased brain connectivity from reading thus improves your overall brain function.
So reading is a good habit to nurture because it can help you think better and harness intelligence as well as avoid certain diseases.
Reading changes your brain and allows it process information better as well as trains your memory to store and access information easily. Which is why reading is sometimes said to be able to sharpen the mind.
Can reading be addictive?
Reading can become an habitual hobby but not really addictive. When you become an everyday reader you’ll essentially read more and more.
This is a good thing because reading is a healthy habit.
Final Thoughts
It is perfectly fine to read all day, it can help you consume a lot of information within hours.
However when you read without taking breaks, it can be both stressful and difficult to pull off.
You’ll most likely experience eye strain, back pain, mental strain which can make you groggy as well as exhausted and disoriented.
The remedy is to read and take breaks in order to let body and brain take a break and let it process the information you’re feeding it.
This is helpful and can make reading all day more efficient and less exhausting.
Related Articles You Should Read
Can Reading Too Much Make You Crazy?
Is It Realistic To Read A Book A Day?
Additional Helpful Resources
Is Reading Too Much Bad? | illogicalscript.com
Here’s What Happens When You Read Every Day
10 Benefits of Reading: Why You Should Read Every Day – Life Hack
What If You Read A Book All day? – Zksnyder.com
