Readaxation: the science of reading

for wellbeing

Nicola Morgan www.nicolamorgan.com

More information:

• My books– About the teenage brain – About teenage stress

• Classroom resources: – Brain Sticks

• Your handouts

• My website: www.nicolamorgan.com– And my blog – see TODAY

• Free Brain Sane newsletter • PS I write YA novels, too!

Today

A. Why should schools care about stress?B. What’s so special about teenage stress?C. What does reading do to us? D. How can librarians and schools influence it?

What is stress?

Chemicals

Adrenalin and cortisol• Heart beats faster and we breathe faster• Blood rushes to brain and muscles– Carrying oxygen and glucose (energy)

• => SUPER-PERFORMANCE – stress is GOOD!

But stress becomes a problem if:

1. It becomes panic2. Or cortisol builds up from lack of breaks(Affects: sleep, mood, mental + phys health, concentration, control, performance +++)

Something else…

“Preoccupation”• Brain “bandwidth”• If part attention on one thing, cannot perform 100% on

another– Intrusive thoughts; worries; self-consciousness– “scarcity” – including of time and food– And continual distraction – smartphones…

• Preoccupation diminishes performance:1. Cognitive capacity (aspects of learning)2. Executive control (aspects of behaviour)

Both The Organized Mind and Scarcity cover this

Special teenage stresses

What’s special about teenage stress?

• May be greater? Different biology– Greater response? Slower adaptation?

• Perfect storm of change: (brains, bodies, chemistry) friends, fears, pressures

• Every schoolday: a catalogue of small stresses– Think about your introverts especially

• “New” stresses:

1. Over-examined and over here

• Exams: higher pressure, frequency + stakes• Constant pressure

cortisol build-up

2. The Internet

• Knowledge – for better and…– Info overload – Repetition of bad news emotional effect

• Social networking – very important, but…– Competition and unrealistic goal of perfection– Goldfish bowl and self-inflicted lack of privacy– Cyber-bullying

And more…

• Helicopter parenting– Pressure to succeed and fear of failure/danger– Parents may be over-protecting teenagers– Lowering resilience

A solution: Readaxation

Definition: “Reading to relax, as a conscious strategy for wellbeing and stress management, improving learning possibilities and performance.”

The scientific evidence

Reading Agency Literature Review 2015 – huge meta-study. Benefits include:• Increased vocab and general knowledge• Self-esteem; greater life satisfaction• Increased empathy + self-understanding• Better mood + relationships• Reduced stress

Why does it help?

• Readers believe it’s relaxing • Allows “engagement”, “flow”• Chance to forget worries – a CBT effect• “Narrative transportation”– Identification with character => insight + growth

Does it matter what we read?

• Free choice• No judgement– Fiction or factual? – Digital or print?– Simple or complex?

• Anything which allows engagement

How do we make it happen?

• Victor Nell (1988) The psychology of reading for pleasure: Needs and gratifications. “Unless people experience reading as a pleasurable activity, they will stop reading and choose more enjoyable alternatives.”

“Motivational Flowchart”

Wahhh! A FLOWCHART!

1. We need to expect benefit

Nell’s “Motivational Flowchart”: If Adequate skills + Correct book selection + Expectation of benefit … People will try reading for pleasure. If they notice benefits, they will do more pleasure reading. If not, they will do something else.

Use my Readaxation diary

• See website: Home Brain/Wellbeing/Stress (righthand menu) “Resources about Readaxation…” first link is “Readaxation Diary”

• Discuss possible benefits with students

Suggested benefits• You feel less stressed• You can switch off from worries • Helps you get to sleep • Helps you understand other people better • Helps you face and understand problems• Helps you help your friends with problems• Helps you know more about the world – including facts • Improves imagination/creativity • Helps you succeed better at school • Increases vocabulary • Improves confidence and self-esteem

See my blog 10th May – “Listing the benefits of reading”

2. We need to properly value it

• Remember: relaxation is not a luxury– Too much stress poor performance

• This pleasure has no negative and lots of positive side-effects

• How can you get this message to senior management?

3. We need to make time for it

In summary

• Relaxation is not a luxury but necessary for health, wellbeing AND performance

• Readaxation is not the only way to relax but it is a perfect one, with evidence– AND it has many other benefits for performance

• TELL SENIOR MANAGEMENT!