Thoughts & Things

Three Tips for Reading with Brain Fog

Brain fog can be one of the hardest parts of chronic illness. Not only is your body failing you, but you can't keep your mind straight. Your focus is shot, your memory is spotty at best, and it can feel like you're wading your way through a thick, occasionally painful, fog. I've always struggled with this aspect the most, as my mind was always the best thing about me. Even my hobbies tend to be based around thinking more than doing, so I struggle with not being able to do what I love the way I used to be able to.

The more practice I get at reading with brain fog clouding my thoughts, the more I seem to feel comfortable with it. The best thing I can do with this practice is share it in case anyone else with brain fog finds it useful.

Read out loud.
There are times where you can read a sentence or paragraph over and over, but your brain just doesn't seem to absorb the information. I have personally found that switching to reading out loud can help the information stick a little better. It doesn't matter if you're reading to someone (although I like to read to my dogs), or if you're reading to yourself. Verbalising it can help you remember where you are on the page, and allows you to say and hear the exact words you are reading.

Skim first.
Skimming is a particularly useful skill to develop for studying, but it can also be applied to reading of articles, blogs, or even novels. For example, were I the one reading this blog, I would read the bolded portions first, and double back to read the whole thing at once as soon as I knew exactly what I was trying to absorb. I find that skimming ahead in the page I am reading can also help me determine what is going on, and allow me to keep focused when I read through it properly.

Read with the intent to review.
When you read with the intent to review, you are more likely to focus on smaller details, especially within the plot and characters. Whether you actually intend to write the review (and I do recommend it, as it is excellent writing practice, and is great for memory recall when the book is done), or you only intend to read it and set it aside, reading a book as if you were going to provide a review of it allows you to pick up on details that your fogged brain might otherwise miss.

(I have committed to blogging daily with Give It 100. This is Day Fifty-Three. Six days of leave taken total.)