Pandemic Winter Health Hacks

Read a Real Book

Your brain will be better for it

In the crushing duality of exhaustion and distress that dominated 2020, I lost touch with a true friend: books (the paper rectangle variety). For months, it felt like I had forgotten how to read. And by read, I mean the slow way — blanket-wrapped, tea in hand, eyes fixed on the simplicity of a clean page.

Zadie Smith’s Intimations gave me a refresher course. The book was everything my melty pandemic brain needed in a kickstart: short, lyrical, of the moment. Smith’s thin volume of essays jolted my reading self awake just in time for winter hibernation.

If you’re in need of a jolt yourself (especially since, so far, 2021 is feeling similar to 2020), try reaching for an old favorite, a celebrated author, or a riveting topic (business, tech, and personal growth are all fair game) that lights you up. Pick one book to start (not nine) and find a time of day when you can let go of demands and dig in — ideally in a spot where comfort measures are high.

Need further inspiration? Science reports that reading books sharpens our brains by fueling imagination and cognition. If you’re the type to take notes as you read, try scratching those down with pen and paper as handwriting is also a potent brain vitamin.

Illustration: Sophi Gullbrants