Page 41 - Waterfall City Issue 2 February 2025

INCLUDE PAPER

BOOKS IN YOUR

READING DIET

I n this digital age where screens Digital platforms are notorious for their Just as consistent, healthy eating is

dominate daily life, the idea of
distractions such as adverts, hyperlinks
key to physical well-being, regularly
reading a physical book, magazine or
and notifications that draw our focus
reading paper books cultivates strong
newspaper may seem old-fashioned.
memory and critical thinking. Eating
The Paper Manufacturers Association away from the core content. In contrast, mental habits such as concentration,
paper books provide an uninterrupted
of South Africa (PAMSA) suggests that reading experience, allowing for deep isn’t just about nourishment; it’s also
reading paper-based material can be engagement with the content. People about savouring taste, texture and smell.
compared to maintaining a healthy diet. benefit from the more deliberate Reading paper books appeals to our
pace of reading paper-based material, senses in a way that digital books fail
Jane Maloney, executive director of which enhances the understanding to do. It has something to do with the
PAMSA, says that just as a balanced and retention of information. This is sensation of running our hands over a
diet is vital for our physical health, attributed to reduced distractions and beautifully illustrated or embossed cover,
so print and paper provide benefits the physicality of paper, which enhances or leafing through the pages. There is
that nourish the mind in ways that spatial awareness and allows for pen- also the appealing smell of a new novel,
digital formats can’t. “Reading paper to-paper annotations. An article in or even yellowed ageing parchment.
books feeds the mind through a more Psychology Today entitled The Case for
captivating experience, where readers Paper: Books vs E-Readers, states that Paper books are an ‘organic’
can absorb ideas and develop a deeper turning pages in a book creates an ‘index’ choice
understanding of the material,” she in the brain, mapping what we read Paper books store carbon and since
explains. visually to a particular page. paper is derived from wood, it acts as a

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