In recent years, printed books have made a comeback, and for good reason: they can be better for your brain, your health and your planet. With e-waste recycled at a rate of only 22.3%, you can feel good about choosing a printed book — paper has a far higher recycling rate (65–69%). Paper also comes from a renewable resource!
Some important reasons to choose a paper book:
1. You absorb more information.
According to a study presented in Italy in 2014, print-book readers absorb and remember more of the plot than e-book readers. In an earlier study, print-book readers also scored higher in other areas, such as empathy, immersion in the book, and comprehension of the narrative. Scientists believe this effect has to do with the tactile feel of holding a book in your hands. Seeing and feeling how far you’ve progressed through the story can help readers feel they are unlocking the story, both literally and figuratively. It’s also easier, with a printed book, to verify information you’re unsure of without losing your place or scrolling and clicking on your device.
Children get distracted by the electronic device and struggle to focus on the story itself.
2. They also help children become better readers.
Researchers theorise this happens because children get distracted by the electronic device and struggle to focus on the story itself.
3. They’re easier on the eyes.
Given that many jobs require you to look at a computer screen all day, it makes sense to give your eyes a break wherever you can. Electronic books can cause screen fatigue, which can lead to blurred vision, redness, dryness and irritation. With printed books, you don’t have to worry about any of that.
If you’re hoping for a good night’s sleep, stick with printed books.
4. They can help you sleep better.
Reading from a screen or scrolling a social media app on your phone at the end of the night are both bad ideas. Studies have shown that the blue light from your screen can interfere with your melatonin levels and circadian rhythms, making it harder to fall asleep and leaving you feeling groggier when you wake up.
Overall, the engagement and brain activity that comes with reading can help you fall asleep when you’re having trouble. So if you’re hoping for a good night’s sleep, stick with printed books.
5. You’re less likely to get distracted.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, e-book readers tend to wander off-topic more easily — but that’s not solely because the internet is at their fingertips. Digital readers spend more time scanning for keywords than actually processing what they’re reading. And with a printed book, there’s no risk of getting distracted by links or being pulled down an internet rabbit hole.
Keeping books at home encourages children to read for fun and to talk with their parents about what they’ve learned.
6. Keeping a library at home is linked to higher academic achievement.
This is especially true for children from disadvantaged families. Researchers believe this is because keeping books at home encourages children to read for fun and to talk with their parents about what they’ve learned, which can only benefit them in the classroom.
7. They make reading more enjoyable.
A recent study of university students in the US, Slovakia, Japan and Germany found that 92% of participants preferred real books they could hold and flip through whenever they wanted.
Slovak students in particular said they enjoyed the smell of books. Indeed, scientists who’ve analysed the chemical composition of old books have found that the pages carry notes of vanilla (from lignin, a paper component with a similar scent) and grass.
In this sense, the smell of an old book is a little like the pleasure derived from perfume or the scent of flowers. Studies have also shown that books can make us happier, inspire us to travel, and help us make life-changing decisions.
So next time you spend a little more than you planned at the bookshop, don’t feel guilty about it: science says it’s good for you.