3 Tips on How to Start Mindful Reading

According to a recent report, reading can be a vehicle for mindfulness. Based on studies by an expert neuropsychologist from the Baylor College of Medicine, mindful reading is essentially when you lose yourself in the material you’re consuming. Unlike typical reading, which is usually done with a set goal, mindful reading is done purely for pleasure. There’s no pressure to hit a timeframe, read through how many pages, or even come away with a certain amount of knowledge.

That said, mindful reading is often easier said than done. In this fast-paced society, multi-tasking and cutting corners are normalized for the sake of getting things done faster. Even pursuing things, like reading, without a set goal is sometimes viewed as just an indulgence. In truth, because mindful reading allows you to focus on the moment, the text you’re reading can become more valuable and enriching. 

So, if you’re interested in giving mindful reading a try, here are three easy tips that you can help:

1. Keep your eyes comfortable

The eyes are some of the most overworked organs. As a result, they’re often very fatigued and find it hard to focus on small text and near-distance tasks. When the eyes are uncomfortable like this, it becomes a source of distraction since you’re hyper-aware of it. At the same time, it heightens the temptation to turn to other activities that may be less visually taxing.

To prevent this, try wearing assistive eyewear such as blue light reading glasses. On Readers, these are highlighted for their ability to provide two distinct ocular perks. On one hand, they use special lens filters that block out potentially harmful blue-violet light. This is part of the visible light spectrum from the sun and devices, which can cause eye strain in excessive amounts. At the same time, these glasses can offer magnification that helps make it easier for the eyes to discern text. If you use prescriptions, variations with multifocals are also available. With these, your eyes will more comfortably adapt to reading regardless of whether you’re using a physical or digital book. This ensures that your reading time is uninterrupted by pesky eye discomfort.

2. Stay in a clutter-free environment

Your surroundings can dramatically influence your state of mind. This is why one of the most effective ways to build a calming environment is to keep it clutter-free. By keeping to a more minimalist space, fewer items can trigger unrelated trains of thought. This is key to any mindfulness practice since you only want to focus on one specific task at a time.

For the purposes of mindful reading, it does not need to be an overly big space either, so a cozy nook will suffice. What’s important is that it fosters a sense of calm and concentration without feeling forced. After all, you don’t want to read in a place that makes it feel like reading is a chore. Instead, curate your surroundings in such a way that you’re naturally more at ease and able to sink into your book. One of the best ways to do this is through natural lighting. If you can, try to do your mindful reading next to a window. This will let in warm sunlight that can help regulate your mood while properly illuminating your text. Otherwise, you could also use artificial lights that emulate this. For instance, the Skyview 2 automated therapy lamp is designed to provide 360 degrees of illumination that mimics the sun’s actual rays from sunrise to sunset. Because it automatically adjusts, you won’t have to get up from your reading to make any adjustments until you’re actually satisfied with your text for the day.

3. Block out distracting noises

Even if you’re not actively listening to something, whenever your ears hear something, it sends a signal to the brain. Consequently, when you’re in very loud or busy environments, the brain can get overloaded, making it hard to do anything else. Scientific America even explained that prolonged exposure to noise can lead to poor memory and concentration. Understandably, this will make it hard to enjoy any sort of reading.

Interestingly, to avoid distracting noises from affecting your mindful reading, try replacing them with white noise instead. Because it acts as a buffer, it creates a sense of auditory stability that lets the brain turn its energies to other tasks like reading. Since you don’t want overly complex white noises that overload your senses either, try looking for machines that create simple sounds. For example, the LectroFan EVO emits clear and straightforward color-based noises that can block out even high-pitched or persistent distractions. Just remember that you should keep your electronic white noise machines at volumes no higher than 60 decibels. This will still effectively help you immerse without risking your long-term hearing.