There are times when I take a break from my writing….yes really!…..but I realize how important it is to keep my mind working, especially as I get older!
I was in to see my chiropractor for a treatment recently. He is a young man, by my standards anyway….maybe early forties. I always have very interesting conversations with him as he snaps and cracks my body. The last conversation we had was about which pastime is better, watching TV or reading a book?
He began my treatment with the information, “I was reading an article this morning about watching TV vs Reading as you age. TV viewing is a sedentary behavior. Ryan Dougherty, a postdoctoral fellow in Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health says if you are getting up into your 70s or older, excessive viewing might even shrink you brain.” Our conversation continued.
Of course there are TV programs that we gather information from, like the History Channel, or Jeopardy, but only if we somehow interact with the shows. It’s nice to zone out with a bowl of popcorn and a new movie occasionally too. The older we are though, we have to be aware of how we use our brain, especially if we watch a lot of TV.
Now that I have gathered all this new information I would like to share some of it. How about if I told you the brain slips into a hypnotic state within seconds of watching TV? The hypnotic effect is largely caused by screen flicker which lowers your brainwaves into an alpha state. TV can also reduce your ability to think critically. When you watch TV, the brain activity switches from the left side of your brain (resonsible for the logical thought and critical analysis) to the right side.
There is much information out there if you want to put some effort into your own research! Or maybe you can find a channel with a program discussing brain activity while watching TV!
Watching TV in small doses isn’t going to affect you long-term, but make sure you don’t become addicted to your screen time as you age. Start tracking the number of hours you are spending in front of the screen. Include the number of hours you spend on your computer and phone screen as well. I remember my great aunt, a lifetime educator, becoming addicted to afternoon soap operas after she retired. It reached a point where I knew not to visit her during certain hours. What I also noticed was her communication skills gradually dissipated. The same thing happened with my grandfather. He would take his eyes off the TV long enough to say hello but very soon he was entrenched once again in his program.
If you raise children, you know the reason why you limit the amount of TV they watch. You also know how good a babysitter any TV screen, tablet or phone is now. My children were frustrated with me over the years for limiting their TV time. They were also frustrated when I refused to buy a colour TV for them to watch. I explained that whatever they watched on TV, they could use their brain to add the colour to the picture. It helped that some of the programs in the 70s were still in black and white!
My chiropractor and I continued our discussion, switching to the benefits of reading. The first on my list was reading develops creativity, imagination and improves writing skills. Now, having said that, I also mentioned to my chiropractor that as I get older, my eyes don’t work as well. I’ve switched to ‘audible reading’ occasionally as it still helps with my creativity and imagination. I not only colour the pictures I see in my head but must also create the characters, dress them, determine their age through their wrinkles or lack of, etc. “It’s a no brainer!” Groan!
He shared that he liked reading because as he held the book, it would take him to countries around the world and possibly into different centuries. Even if he put it down for a couple of days, his brain was forced to remember the names and actions of the various characters. Non-fiction books filled his brain with interesting facts. He had discovered early in his practice that if he shared information with his patients, it took their minds off their treatments.
So, the next time you turn the TV on, think about what you are….. or are not getting out of it. Consider how you might use your brain more effectively even if you are watching TV. If you haven’t read a book in a long time because your eyes aren’t working as well as they used to, maybe switch to audible reading. Having a built-in story teller is great!
And….. a final note…..by the end of the day, reading may help you ‘switch off,’ often allowing to fall asleep within 20 minutes!
Credit for the use of one of the books in the picture, ‘Route 66 Still Kicks’ goes to the author, Rick Antonson. Also used, National Geographic Magazine, Mark Twain’s ‘Tom Sawyer,’ and my own work, ‘How to Age (in Style!)’