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One of the most obvious changes that comes with ageing is that people start doing things more slowly. Numerous studies have shown that ageing also affects language processing. Even neurologically healthy people speak, retrieve words and read more slowly as they get older.
The study contradicted general knowledge that the average reading rate is 300 words per minute. As adults age, their reading speed declines steadily. The figure below illustrates this. After 45, you may experience visual impairment that affects your reading speed.
This often happens if you're exposed to noise or other external factors while trying to read. Poor concentration is also related to daydreaming or worrying about problems. The lack of concentration can also be connected to the lack of interest in the text you're reading.
Problems with reading as we get older happen as a result of how the crystalline lens ages. As we get older the lens starts to thicken, harden, and become less flexible. The proteins within the lens also age and change. This causes the lens to harden and lose elasticity.
Like breathing or walking, we don't give the ability much thought unless it begins to deteriorate. But trouble reading can develop at any age for a variety of reasons, including difficulty concentrating, mild cognitive impairment, and physical changes.
Some major causes of poor reading ability are difficult text, ADHD, dyslexia, limited vocabulary, working memory deficit, and more. People may also have trouble with comprehension due to boredom or disinterest in what they are reading.
Stop subvocalizing. Subvocalization is by far the most common factor in slowing down our reading. It's how most of us read – by “speaking” the words in our heads.
Some people fail to improve their reading speed when they don't practice regularly. They easily forget the techniques they employ while reading and eventually decrease their reading speed. For such people, it's important to maintain productivity.
As it is, there is no clear consensus on whether speed reading is a sign of intelligence. Some experts believe that it is, especially with all the benefits it comes with, like improved memory, logic, and problem-solving skills, while others contend that it is not necessarily indicative of a higher IQ.
being a slow reader is definitely not a bad thing. There are plenty of people who read slower than “average”. They are perfectly fine in getting the right information from their book. Slow readers may have better comprehension because they take the time to read thoroughly.
It is widely accepted as one of life's bleak but unavoidable facts: as we get older, our brains get slower. But now a study, based on data from more than 1 million people, suggests that mental processing speed remains almost constant until the age of 60.
Processing speed deficits affect reading efficiency, even among individuals who recognize and decode words accurately. Children with ADHD who decode words accurately can still have inefficient reading fluency, leading to a bottleneck in other cognitive processes.
People age 65 and older also spent the most time reading for personal interest. On the days they read, people age 65 and older read for an average of 1 hour and 47 minutes. They read 24 minutes longer than people ages 15 to 24.
After reading, you may find it almost impossible to retain the information acquired. It may be due to lack of adequate sleep and rest, distractions while reading, poor nutrition, failure to choose the right book, or memory issues such as decay or shallow processing.
You may lose interest in reading because of poor comprehension, stress, or weighty responsibilities. Alternative entertainment options like music and movies could also make reading seem boring. But there are many benefits of reading, like preventing cognitive decline.
Slow readers more likely acquired habits during childhood that are hard to break. Foremost by far is “subvocalizing.” The more we read aloud in our heads, the slower we read. Another issue is unconsciously reading word by word instead of moving smoothly forward.
What Could Cause Sudden Vision Improvements? It's much more common for vision improvements to be caused by medical conditions than lifestyle changes. Conditions like diabetes, cataracts, or even the development of something called “second sight” could be what's causing your vision to suddenly be better.
Hyperlexia is a disorder where people have advanced reading skills but may have problems understanding what is read or spoken aloud. They may also have cognitive or social problems. Other people may have normal reading skills but have problems understanding written words.
People with reading disorder perform reading tasks well below the level one would expect on the basis of their general intelligence, educational opportunities, and physical health. Reading disorder is most commonly called dyslexia. Dyslexia, however, usually includes deficits in spelling and writing as well as reading.
“As for fonts, sans serif fonts are best,” recommends Dana. “Older adults and people with low vision have less difficulty processing type faces like Arial or Helvetica. Without the serifs, it's easier to recognize characters. The thing you'll hear the most from older adults, though, is to make the type larger.
One of the most effective ways to build your skills is to practice. Developing your reading skills will ultimately take practice, and you can set aside 10 to 15 minutes each day to read.
1. Adults face barriers to learning, including higher opportunity costs and lower brain plasticity. Unsurprisingly, adults face unique barriers to learning, compared with children. As we get older, things can get…well, more difficult.