expert opinion suggest that reading does indeed
improve attention span.’
If you don’t fancy packing a small library in your
suitcase, of course, the digital age offers other
ways to consume a book. But can using an
e-reader lessen the positive effects we get from
reading? In one US study, more than nine out of
10 university students said they found it easier to
focus and retain information when reading print,
compared to reading on-screen. ‘But research
is conflicting,’ Lloyd adds. ‘In a 2016 study,
researchers randomly assigned 92 participants
to one of three groups. Each received the same
reading material in a different format – audio
book, e-text and print. No statistically significant
differences were found for comprehension or
retention of information.’ The conclusion? It may all
come down to personal preference: the important
thing is to lose yourself in a good book.HEAL YOUR MIND
Reading fiction is also an excellent way to practice
mindfulness – and in so doing, it can help conquer
the stresses and strains of everyday life that have
been deterring us from picking up a book in the
first place. And the trick, says life coach Carole
Ann Rice, is not to rush things. ‘Slow reading is
an excellent way to practice being mindful,’ sheexplains. ‘It helps us leave behind the mundane
and immerse ourselves in other people’s stories.
Reflecting on phrases and descriptions in books,
and getting into characters’ minds, can be
emotional and healing for the mind. Reading is
the simplest way to decompress and unplug, to
relax and tune in to a rich world of adventure
and discovery.’ Fictional characters – think Holly
Golightly or Blanche DuBois – become real in our
pysches and help us escape reality. ‘When you’re
having a bad day, you can go down a wormhole
with a good book and escape reality, rather than
relying on a glass of wine,’ says Rice.
So, if you rediscover the reading habit during
your summer holiday, how can you ensure you
keep up the good work when you’re home again?
As well as switching off your devices and reading
a book at bedtime or during your commute
instead, Rice suggests joining – or forming – a
book club. ‘Reading can be quite an isolated
pastime, so a book club offers companionship,
as well as the opportunity to understand a book
more deeply and to focus on different aspects,’
she explains. ‘The need to contribute at book club
also encourages you to read more mindfully –
thoroughly and with greater concentration – so
you’ll reap more benefits. Start a book club and
tell people to bring a friend.’ Happy reading!YOUR
HOLIDAY
READING
LIST
Ready to indulge?
Take your pick
from Carole Anne
Rice’s five great
summer readsl The Great
Gatsby by F Scott
Fitzgerald
‘Style, elegance,
unrequited love
and integrity
versus airheaded
inherited wealth.’
l Normal People
by Sally Rooney
‘Interesting lives
unfold in this
compelling,
melancholic read.’
l The Little
Stranger
by Sarah Walters
‘A great,
unputdownable
English chiller.’
l Eleanor Oliphant
is Completely Fine
by Gail Honeyman
‘A beautifully written
ode to loneliness
and being an
oddball – heartfelt
and uplifting.’
l Bonjour
Tristesse by
Françoise Sagan
‘Decadent and
divine – the perfect
holiday read.’‘Reading is an
excellent way to
practice mindfulness’Dr Tony Lloyd and Carole Ann Rice are both advisors to Equazen, makers of brain health supplements (equazen.co.uk)