Journeying Through Books and a Busy Mind: A Physical Therapist’s Perspective

Did you know that reading can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and decrease your heart rate?

Reading can elevate your mood, distract from pain, and improve cognitive function. Most Americans read about 4 books a year. In a world saturated with distractions, reading has become a tool for personal growth and professional development. This year, I challenged myself to read an average of 2 books per month, and the impact has been profound. My ability to connect with people has improved as a result of reading more. It has allowed me to become more open minded to new perspectives and has made me a better listener. I hope to keep moving in this direction.

As someone who aims to be a life-long learner, I have really enjoyed reading this past year and am happy that I turned this into a strong habit of mine. Whenever I talk about books, most people either don’t care or are curious. It has been a tale of 2 extremes in my personal experience. You see, reading does not have to be challenging. Some books have been easy to read while others were quite difficult. It has challenged me beyond what I believed to be my comprehension level. Topics I read included personal development, psychology, pain, movement, neuroscience, psychology, and creativity. That is what interests me. You can find a book on any topic that will interest you. An interesting book will capture your attention and allow your mind to be free to wander and be creative.

A key lesson I learned from reading more is that it keeps you focused on the present. You don't have to read sophisticated books. You need to find something interesting to you. The world will become less distracting as you free your mind. You won't notice the constant pinging, buzzing, aches, and pains of life. Reading provides an escape from the business of life. You may also experience improvement in your mental acuity. You come across new perspectives challenging your existing beliefs.

It is a wonderful experience when you get lost in a book and untether from this interconnected world that is always vying for your attention. Your attention deserves what you want to give it, and when you read you may begin to realize where you want to place it. Being pulled away from my phone has been eye opening as I never knew how addicted to it I was. No more phantom buzzing in my pocket, or the constant need to mindlessly scroll through social media just to keep myself occupied.

The reason I wrote this was to provide a few insights from what I learned about myself while spending more time reading this year. I challenge you to embark on a journey to reading more as the new year approaches. You don’t have to make it a resolution. Starting with 1 book is a great way to flip a page to the right direction (flip to the left - LOL). Sorry for the corny joke. Reading is medicine to the mind.

Just as we need to exercise and move to maintain physical fitness, we need to exercise the brain as well. Find a book you enjoy, set a low entry point for yourself, and build up from there. Find a movement routine you enjoy, start with something you are capable of doing, and scale it from there. It is the same principle.

Please reach out with any recommendations, questions, and discussions you may have after reading this. I will leave you with 5 of my favorite books from this year.