Page 37 - Intra Muros January Issue 2025

Books help to digitally detox
Addiction expert Dr Anna Lembke, in her article
entitled Constant Craving: How Digital Media
turned us all into Dopamine Addicts, says that our
smartphones are making us dopamine junkies, with
each swipe, tweet and like feeding our habit. We’re
forever ‘interrupting ourselves for a quick digital hit’.

Opting for a magazine or paper book over digital
content can help mitigate digital overload, much
like avoiding sugar or alcohol can curb unhealthy
cravings.

Tips to get you reading more paper books
Read at regular intervals: Carve out ten minutes
each day to read a magazine, newspaper or novel.
You can even read while enjoying breakfast or lunch,
or treat yourself to coffee and cake with a book as
your date!

If you’re a new reader, opt for bite-size reading:
Large, hardback books can be daunting, so opt for
short, ‘snackable’ ones. It’s a great way to feel a
sense of accomplishment when you finish them.

Discover the pleasure of your favourite topic: Most
people have a favourite meal or treat, so find out
what type of reading material brings you the most
pleasure. It might be fiction in the form of romance,
comedy or suspenseful thrillers, or non-fiction on a
range of topics.
Keep ‘reading snacks’ in your car, handbag or laptop
bag: While waiting in a queue, doctors’ rooms or
sitting in the car, most of us will reach for our mobile
phones and scroll mindlessly through social media
platforms. Instead, make sure you have a book or
magazine on hand to while away the time and feed
your mind.

Include variety if you’re already a big reader: If you
love fiction, challenge yourself to give non-fiction a
try. You might find that topics of a different nature
create a more balanced intellectual ‘diet’. Similarly,
if you prefer reading in a digital format, which offers
convenience and accessibility, add a paper book once
in a while to offer a well-rounded counterbalance.

Bring and share: Just like we bring a plate of eats to
a social gathering, take along a book that you think
a friend may enjoy. You can also donate books to a
charity shop or second-hand bookstore.

Jane Moloney concludes: “From my own experience,
I find that paper books truly nourish my mind. They
help me relax, disconnect and escape into another
world. In an ‘always on’ world, books remain my
healthiest choice.”

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