Your sign to read more

The truth is, reading plays positive roles in cognitive function, stress and empathy across all ages. Even if reading does not seem like your cozy cup of tea, I hope you will rethink your point of view.

After going through the school system from kindergarten to college, we stop having rubrics to uphold when writing and reading requirements are no longer existent. Leveling up through reading levels is a milestone in comprehension, pronunciation and proficiency, not enjoyment. Life becomes more important than flipping through some pages. Unknowingly, we wonder why certain sentences or thoughts are harder to put together and you struggle finding the right phrase or word. One of the greatest gifts of reading is the ability to expand your vocabulary in words that you may or may not use in everyday conversation, but are still valuable to know. Communication is a skill everyone needs, and establishing a reading habit for younger generations is a great way to set them up for success (luckily it is never too late).

As working or retired individuals, the discipline to read can be a big roadblock and digital distractions seem to make things worse. Technology consumes our everyday lives and, apart from social media’s toxic effects to our brain health, artificial intelligence has become another beast in the mix. It is easier than ever to summarize tons of research into short bullet points, making the process of reading shorter. In the United States, 45% of internet users are shown AI summaries which appear after an internet search. Of those, 20% find summaries to be extremely useful, according to PEW Research. This sounds great in theory, but the problem lies in a lack of synthesizing information for oneself and exercising cognitive thinking and research skills. Nothing compares to reading a piece of work that is physical, distraction-free and allows one the freedom to think.

A lot of people will say, “well, Giselle, I don’t like reading. It is not what I choose to do for fun.”

So, what do you enjoy doing? Who are you interested in? You must have some curiosity in life, right? Think about some activities, people or places you want to know more about or genres that have nothing to do with the real world (even though everything mirrors reality in one way or another). For myself, I love a good autobiography or romance novel.

As someone who struggles with anxiety, reading is one of the greatest forms of self soothing and in psychiatry there is something called “bibliotherapy” or book therapy. Often done alongside a professional, bibliotherapy is a legitimate technique for treating anxiety, depression and other mental concerns. Usually, books are used as a resource in describing someone’s emotions and life experiences at that moment. Storytelling is what connects us as humankind and it makes sense why people find deep connection with characters and real people. Reading helps us realize we are not alone. Even for completely fictional characters, they all stemmed from somewhere, a thought, maybe an experience. It is a reminder that as much as we are different, we are also alike, and those are the stories that connect us.

Considering winter months have everyone cooped in their homes by 8 p.m. anyway, it is a great time to try reading (you don’t need to call it a hobby just yet). Visiting a local bookstore or library are both risk free. You can browse, read and shop around until something sparks your interest long enough to keep going. Having a dictionary or keeping tabs of difficult words so you can decode later is a helpful way to expand your vocabulary. If you have made it to the end, you clearly don’t need a lesson in how to read, but maybe your big question now is: What will you read?

Is it too soon to ask for book recommendations? Reach me: giselle@smdailyjournal.com.

Giselle Espinoza is a longtime San Mateo resident with a bachelor’s degree in communications, working in health care administration. She brings a Gen Z perspective and slight coffee addiction.