Reading the old-fashioned way

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/11/2015 (3746 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If you are reading this article right now, it’s obvious you still like to read newspapers, whether they are online or in print. 

Newspapers provide us with daily or weekly updates on things going on around us locally and internationally. Some articles can be quite vague while others are very detailed and informative. The various sections of a newspaper cater to all interest groups.  Some will show their political affiliations through the writings of their staff and cause people to choose other publications.

Reading the newspaper daily can be a form of relaxation but it can also be frustrating, depending on the stories you are reading. 

How people choose to read has been a big topic in this technological age and the debate over whether printed books will survive rages on.  

A 2014 study done in Norway noted that readers who read from an e-reader had more difficulty remembering the order of events in a story compared to those who read the same book in paperback. They were also more prone to skipping sentences than actually reading everything.  The study concluded that screens drained mental resources and hindered people from mapping the journey in their minds. 

If you work in an office all day and are in front of a computer, the last thing you want to do is look at another screen when you get home. Eye strain and headaches are symptoms of too much screen time.

When we read printed publications or books, our brains begin to paint a mental pictures of what we are reading and we become more immersed. Numerous studies have been done comparing all forms of reading and they all seem to conclude that reading from a printed book or magazine or newspaper is the way to go. If we read the old-fashioned way for 30 to 45 minutes daily the benefits are huge. Stress reduction, improved concentration, increased empathy, better quality sleep and improved long-term memory to name just a few. If you kids are in front of screens all day, put books in their hands for 30 minutes before they go to bed and see how they sleep. 

Of course those who point out that paper destroys trees make a valid argument, but recycling facilities and the push to recycle everything is all around us, so I guess one could argue that the benefits of reading printed publications may outweigh whatever feelings we may have about the trees. And let’s not forget that the materials in e-readers and the energy we use to charge and power them also have their issues.  

Louise Hedman is a community correspondent for Transcona.