Reading This Will Change Your Brain Forever
Reading This Will Change Your Brain Forever
The internet has rewired our brains — and not necessarily for the better.
As you’re reading this, your brain is juggling more than just these words. You’re likely deciding whether to keep scrolling, switch tabs, or check notifications. Sure, you’re “reading,” but you’re also multitasking — consciously or not. This split focus changes how deeply you engage with content, how much you remember, and how you think. Whether you realize it or not, reading this right now is reshaping your brain.
Ask someone why they prefer physical books over e-books, and you’ll probably get answers like, “I love the smell of books” or “I spend too much time on screens already.” Valid points, yes, but there’s more to it. Science confirms that reading printed books stimulates areas of the brain tied to language, memory, and visual processing — fostering deep engagement. Digital reading, on the other hand, lights up these same areas but also activates brain regions linked to decision-making and problem-solving. Sounds impressive? Not really.
When faced with the endless links, pop-ups, and notifications of online reading, our brains grapple with overload. The result? Reading becomes less enjoyable, harder to focus on, and less memorable. That deep immersion — the kind where you lose track of time and get lost in a book — is nearly impossible to achieve online.
Your Brain on the Internet: Rewiring in Real-Time
Here’s the science: every time you read online, neurons in your brain fire electrical pulses across synapses, strengthening the connections between them. This process is called neuroplasticity, often summarized as “neurons that fire together, wire together.” It’s how we get better at anything we practice, whether it’s feeling anxious, playing tennis, or scrolling endlessly through Twitter threads. The more you read online, the more efficient your brain becomes at skimming, scanning, and shallow thinking.
Nicholas Carr, in his groundbreaking book The Shallows, explains how hyperlinks were initially believed to enhance reading and comprehension. They don’t. Carr cites decades of research by UX expert Jakob Nielsen, who found that internet users don’t read deeply — or even at all. Instead, we skim and dart across pages, searching for the next “shiny object” of information. This shallow reading style is shaping us into shallow thinkers.
The Myth of Rising IQ
But wait! Aren’t we getting smarter? you might argue. Yes, IQ scores have been rising for decades — but here’s the catch. The increases are in specific areas, like recognizing shapes and solving logic puzzles. Meanwhile, scores tied to memory, vocabulary, general knowledge, and basic math have stagnated. Tests like the SAT and PSAT, which measure critical reading and writing, show steady declines.
Why It Matters
The internet is convenient and entertaining — no one’s denying that. Reading on your phone is far easier than lugging a heavy book around. But if we want to think deeply, fuel our creativity, and truly engage with ideas, we can’t do it on screens. Want to nurture empathy, remember what you read, or lose yourself in another world? Then it’s time to revisit an invention older than the internet but far more revolutionary: the printed book.
Gutenberg got it right centuries ago, and it’s still true today — books feed the brain in ways the internet simply can’t.