What Can Be Considered Reading A Lot?

There are so many different readers out there of varying reading capacity.

Sometimes we spend a lot of time reading that we eventually wonder if we are over doing it. This usually brings up a lot of questions and one of those is the basis of this entire article.

So, what can be considered reading a lot?

Reading a 300 paged book in one day is fair to be considered a lot of reading because the average person doesn’t even read more than 10 books a year.

There many things to take into consideration of course however reading a book in a day on many accounts can be considered reading a lot.

Effects of over reading

Now that we have established what we can consider reading a lot, let’s get into some effects that can be a result of over reading.

Eye pain

One of the more obvious effects of over reading is eye-pain which can be a typical sign of focusing your sight on one thing for a very long time.

You have to look out for any eye strain of discomfort that you may encounter after a heavy reading session.

This can be your signal to relax and take break from reading. If you do ignore this, your eye strain may worsen and a headache may follow after.

Therefore it’s important to take breaks often and try not to read for long periods of time in a single sitting.

Back pain

In most cases the eye strain will be backed by back pain because you’re most likely sitting up when studying. This is why it’s important to get up every now and then and let your internal structure ease off.

We all want to be well read but we have to consider the effects of over reading if we want to make our future reading experiences better.

Little social interaction

Reading a book a day can take up an entire day because the average book contains 250 to 400 pages. The most obvious effect of spending your days buried in a book is little social interaction.

Reduced social interaction can increase your stress and social anxiety which can have a negative impact on your life.

It’s therefore important to read in moderation because while over reading wont technically make you crazy, it can make enough of an impact on your life to make you feel nuts.

Diminished comprehension

The mind and brain can only comprehend so much before it loses concentration and can no longer absorb any more information. Reading an entire book in a single day is possible of course but you can’t expect to comprehend and remember everything.

Of course, if you’re casually reading, that’s no problem but if you’re reading to recall the information in the future it causes a problem.

It’s therefore wise to read more intentionally and possibly slower if you’re reading to be able to recall the information in the future.

How much reading you should do a day

Reading 30 minutes to an hour day can be enough to make an impact on your intellect. Even 15 minutes a day is fine. The most important thing is being consistent because at the end of the day consistency is what will yield the best results for you.

People often think they have to read for hours a day to be considered a reader but that is not the case at all. All that matters is reading every day for more than 15 minutes.

You don’t have to over strain yourself into reading till your eyes turn blue.

What causes others to read more than others?

Let’s look at the most common things that make other people be able to read more than others on average.

Interest

Interest is one of the factors that influence how much a person reads. If you’re into romantic novels and love a specific author, reading a new book by the author will be done quickly and with enthusiasm by you because you love the author and have actual interest in the book genre.

 People with limited interest in something will often times find it hard to do or will simply postpone doing it.

Reading speed

Some people read at faster speeds than others. Fast readers can obviously read more than the average reader.

What’s more important than your ability to read fast is your ability to retain the information you read. So while speed reading is great, comprehension above all else is important.

The average reader reads slower but can read and understand more than the average speed reader.

Whenever you feel the need to read fast, I advise you to assess your comprehension while doing so, this way you’ll know whether or not reading fast is good for you.

High focus

Some people can focus better than others. Reading fast requires an extreme level of focus and concentration, if you therefore cannot narrow your focus into paying attention to one thing you’ll find it very difficult to read and consume more information than the average reader.

Free time

Let’s face it, you reach a certain age and life just gets busy. School, work etc. can all demand our time and attention which then leaves you with very little time to squeeze in activities like reading.

Some people however have enough time to read a lot. This can be the reason why they read a lot, it’s therefore important to find a schedule that can fit in reading if you feel you have to read more than you’re currently reading.

Conclusion

Being able to read a full book in a single day can be considered reading a lot because most people can’t even read quarter of a book in a day or a month or year. The more important thing other than how much you read is how much you can remember.

Many people read a lot but still suffer from poor retention because they overestimate the power of reading a lot and underestimate the power of reading for future recollection which is usually slower and thorough.