So on this website I like talking about ways to cope with anxiety. I’ve dealt with and continue to deal with anxiety for my entire life so I understand how debilitating it can feel. Now I know this is a sensory website and you’re expecting content revolving around sensory processing issues. However, many people who struggle with sensory processing issues also have underlying mental illnesses.
Issues such as ADD or ADHD, anxiety, depression, PTSD and the list goes on, are mental illnesses which can cause and/or contribute to sensory processing issues. My ultimate goal with this website is to provide skills and knowledge in anything helpful which I have first hand experience in. That being said, I’m going to tell you the story of how turning into a book worm has changed my life for the better.
I was a senior in high school going to a school out of my school district for students with special needs or mental illness. For a portion of the day we had a reading period were we had to read for at least forty five minutes to an hour. When the school first started doing this, I would CONSTANTLY get distracted and I would do anything but reading. I would talk to my other classmates, play with my hair or do anything else to avoid reading. This is coming from a girl who used to have to be bribed by her father to read a book for more dessert or extra phone time because I would rather talk on the phone or watch TV. So, I’m going to tell you how I went from never wanting to pick up a book, to becoming a book worm.
In school when I would constantly get redirected for not reading, the teacher assistant would tell me: “I don’t care if you read the book or not. Just look at it and act like you’re reading.” Well eventually I would get tired of just staring at the page so I would start to read. That’s how I got hooked! I learned that through reading my mind goes into a whole different world. Its actually a really special and powerful release. When I read, I completely escape reality and get so involved with the story line that my life becomes the book and I tune out everything else around me. Its truly a beautiful thing to see where your imagination can take you when you get so engulfed in the story. In my experience, because you’re wrapped up in the story line, you’re also able to empathize with the characters which helps you to be more empathetic in life in general.
Reading helps me to be more imaginative as I go into my own little day dream which in itself helps to reduce my anxiety level. Also, people with depression see their symptoms decrease because of the distraction and the escape which reading provides. Its like my own little bubble of pure contentment and happiness when I read now. This helps relieve my anxiety so much because no matter what I’m going through in life, I know reading can always bring me peace.
Reading also gives you higher self esteem. When you can’t read well, you struggle in school curricular across the board. So the better reader you are, the more likely you will have higher grades and self esteem. Also, not only does reading help with anxiety, but take it from someone who stays up all hours of the night, reading is a sure way to get your brain to stop over thinking and relax until you eventually feel asleep. It also helps with your attention span because your focusing for long periods of time which is good for kids with ADHD or ADD. If you’re trying to get your child to experience the magic of reading, here’s what I recommend:
- Your child is more likely to pick up a book if its something he/she can relate to. Find out his/her interests; for example if your child loves animals get her/him a book on animals.
- You can always start small so instead of getting your child chapter books, start off with books on how to make their favorite crafts. Growing up my sister had me fall in love with American Girl books. These books are available on the main American Girl website for purchase. American Girl books teach young girls all types of life lessons to navigate through preteen and teen years. American girl makes reading fun even for the kids who would never touch a book. They even have quiz books for optimal enjoyment.
- The more fun you make reading for your kids, the more they’re going to want to read. Barnes and Nobles is also an amazing choice for a book store. They have all books in every possible category for every age. My favorite thing about Barnes and Noble is that they have a digital mobile app that lets you buy books that might be out of stock and you can read them on the mobile app called Nook.
- Probably the best thing about reading is this: the world is your oyster to go wherever your imagination brings you. You can find books in every genre and for every subject imaginable. What I really related to when I first started reading are books which educated me on my diagnoses. I liked understanding and finding the reasons why I am the way I am; like putting pieces of a puzzle together so I know how to conquer and thrive!
- Do take into consideration that every child and situation is different so just because learning about my disability empowered me, many kids just aren’t ready to face it. If you are going to read books about your own disability, I would suggest looking into it with your parent or guardian so you don’t face it alone as it can be overwhelming. If you also want to implement a sensory aspect to your reading, you can go to any craft store and make your own book marks and book covers with all different textures.
I’ll conclude with this advice from the pros:
According to healthline,
A growing body of research indicates that reading literally changes your mind.
Using MRI scans, researchers have confirmed that reading involves a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. As your reading ability matures, those networks also get stronger and more sophisticated.
In one study conducted in 2013, researchers used functional MRI scans to measure the effect of reading a novel on the brain. Study participants read the novel “Pompeii” over a period of 9 days. As tension built in the story, more and more areas of the brain lit up with activity.
Brain scans showed that throughout the reading period and for days afterward, brain connectivity increased, especially in the somatosensory cortex, the part of the brain that responds to physical sensations like movement and pain. Read the original article at healthline.
A 2013 study by Rush University Medical Center found that people who stimulate the brain on a daily basis were less likely to find plaques, lesions, and tau-protein tangles found in people with dementia. a retirement health study also suggests that those who read lived around two years longer then people who didn’t read or read magazines or other media. the story also concluded that people who read more then 3 and a half hours were 23% likely to live longer then those who don’t read at all. See the original article by clicking here.
Mayoclinic recommends reading every night before bed as your normal routine. The Mayo Clinic discourages the use of reading on devices before bed because the light will keep you up and can lead to other health concerns so read a hard copy. Researchers in high demanding classes studied the affects reading has on stress levels. The studies showed that thirty minutes of reading had reduced rates of blood pressure, heart rate, and stress. See the original article by clicking here.