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When we talk about reading in general or reading as a hobby, we usually emphasize all the benefits it has for the reader. Sometimes you may wonder if reading is this “magical activity” with no negative effects.
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Although reading as a hobby has many benefits, excessive reading can have negative effects for some readers. these not only include physical aspects such as vision degradation and neck and back muscle pain, but also mental and social aspects such as adverse interpersonal behavior. Fortunately, most negative effects can be prevented or corrected.
In this article, we’ll look at some of these negative effects and how they can be prevented, corrected, or managed.
the negative effects of reading
Although some readers read as much as one book a day and rarely experience negative effects, excessive reading can also have negative effects. Generally speaking, readers don’t experience just the benefits or just the negatives, but a combination of both.
It’s a matter of managing the good and the bad. when managed effectively, the benefits outweigh the negatives when it comes to reading. it is almost like a drug that prevents or cures a disease, but it can also cause negative side effects for some.
But it’s important for frequent readers to take note of these possible negative effects of excessive reading. if you know what they are and what symptoms will usually indicate that you are becoming prone to one of these negative effects, you can counter them to prevent further “infestation”.
Let’s look at eleven of the biggest possible negative effects of excessive reading.
1. reading could damage your eyesight
Poor or degraded vision is often attributed to excessive reading. this may be so, but it is generally only true if you read when there is not enough light or if you hold your book in such a way that it puts strain on your eyes as you read. then it can, in the long run, cause vision problems.
One of the first signs that it is, in fact, your reading habits that are affecting your eyes is when you experience blurred vision while reading or right after you have read your book.
When this happens, the first thing you should do is deliberately make sure your book is always more than a foot away from your eyes when you read.
then make sure that when you read during the day you have enough natural light. And remember, when you don’t have natural light or are reading at night, a person needs, on average, at least 450 lumens (40 watts) of light to read comfortably.
If the blurriness persists, consult your eye clinic.
2. reading could damage your hearing/hearing ability
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The negative effect that reading has on your hearing will not cause you to lose your hearing in a physical sense. the negative effect has more to do with your hearing ability than with your physical hearing ability. you focus so much on what you read that you don’t listen when someone speaks to you.
This can lead to the negative perception that you don’t want to talk to other people or that you are a snob. The earliest symptom of this negative effect is usually that people no longer spontaneously speak to you.
In extreme cases, people start removing you from their guest lists and you can become more and more isolated. Fortunately, you can correct this problem. show other people that you want to socialize, but also let them know that you want some private time to read your book.
For example, when you’re in the staff room during lunch and want to use most of your lunch time to read your book, socialize for a few minutes with other staff members first, and then tell them they need to apologize like you want. to read your book. have them tap you on the shoulder to get your attention as you read.
3. reading can make you lose track of time
Losing track of time when reading is a problem that has the potential to cause serious problems. Some readers get so caught up in the book they’re reading that they don’t notice the time.
an office worker, for example, may be so intrigued by a book during the lunch hour that he doesn’t realize when he has to return to the office. this may be viewed by the supervisor as negligence.
But it can have more serious consequences if you have an important meeting to attend and become so intrigued by your reading while waiting in the reception room that you completely lose track of time and miss the first part of the meeting.
Fortunately, situations like this can be prevented simply by setting an alarm on your mobile.
4. reading can cause muscle aches
Sore muscles can be a negative effect of reading. When you spend a lot of time sitting down reading, you may experience muscle aches from time to time, especially in your neck, shoulders, and back. Usually these pains are the result of sitting incorrectly when reading.
You can avoid sore muscles simply by always making sure you sit correctly when you read. The best position to read is with your feet on the floor so that the chair does not cut off blood circulation and keeps your back supported and straight.
Your book should be at eye level without tilting your head. to achieve this you can support your elbows with pillows.
5. reading can make you lose perspective and instigate fear
Novel plots often change your perspective on real-world events. most of the time it’s a positive change, but reading can also give people negative and unfounded perceptions if they don’t distinguish between fiction and real life.
perspective
When, for example, you’re reading a story about a cheating spouse and you’ve seen your spouse earlier in the day in conversation with someone of the opposite sex, you may start to worry if your spouse is cheating on you.
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Even later you may believe your spouse is cheating on you just because the character in the story is cheating under the same circumstances.
fear
Sometimes when people read a story about a rare disease, they fear that they too will get the same disease. in extreme cases, their fear can be so strong that they isolate themselves from people who may display the same systems as the character in the book.
6. reading can lead to over-identification with fictional characters
Overidentifying with the characters in the story can lead readers to have unrealistic expectations of real-life people and situations. When real-life people don’t live up to these expectations, readers are disappointed and risk missing out on the joys of real life.
7. reading can give you a feeling of guilt
Although many readers manage to read a lot and still have time to attend to everyday problems, some people become so involved in the book they are reading that all other aspects of their life receive less attention. they spend less time with their families and do not have enough time for normal daily tasks.
Often, the result is that after the person has read the book, they feel so guilty about the things they have neglected that the guilt overshadows the joy of reading the book.
Fortunately, if this is a problem you’re having, there is a solution. plan your days and stick to the schedules. Also, discuss your hobby with your family and explain why you spend so much time on your hobby.
When they understand your passion and you consciously dedicate time to interpersonal relationships and household chores, you no longer have to feel guilty. and for repairs at home – call the maintenance staff!
8. reading can tempt you to hide from the real world
A serious negative effect of reading is that, because you enjoy “living” in the fictional world of the stories you read so much, you want to escape to a fictional world whenever you can’t cope with your problems in the real world.
Instead of trying to solve his real-world problems, he ignores them and escapes to a “better” world by reading a book. the more you are intrigued by the “better” world of the book, the more you forget about your real problems.
A person who uses this technique to hide from problems uses reading in the same way that a drug addict will use drugs to “escape” from reality.
9. reading too much can lead to poor sleep habits
If you don’t have the self-discipline to put the book down and get enough sleep, reading can lead to chronic insomnia. Since you can’t put the book down before you’ve read it to the end, you may stay up all night or sleep only for a very short time.
This can result in a very tired person at work the next day, and if this happens frequently, your productivity can suffer over time.
10. too much reading can lead to poor eating habits
When you read too much a day and lose track of time, you easily eat too much or too little. you can be snacking while you read and when you are done with your book you are not hungry and you are left without a nutritious meal. or you don’t have time to prepare a nice meal and just order fast comfort food.
11. too much reading can lead to physical weakness
Because reading is a physically passive activity, you don’t move much when reading for long periods. If you read a lot and don’t spend time exercising by taking a walk or working out at home or at the gym, your body will weaken over time.