Brain Food Wednesdays: Preparing Your Mind for Reading Nonfiction Books

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Dear Reader,

In this week’s newsletter, the 161st issue of Brain Food Wednesdays, the topic is focused on preparing your mind for reading nonfiction books. I’ve been asking myself how I can add more value to help the readers of this newsletter. Often when I present the steps to read nonfiction, someone emails me to clarify. I broke down each step and focused on it, instead of on one article outlining all the steps to take.
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Since preparing the mind is the first step and the one most unfamiliar, I’m starting here. Go to the article below. I hope you find it useful.

Ask Avil

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Preparing Your Mind for Reading Nonfiction Books

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Introduction

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Welcome to this week’s Brain Food Wednesdays Newsletter! This week’s topic is focused on preparing your mind for reading nonfiction books.
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Reading nonfiction books can be a great way to learn new information, gain knowledge, and improve your skills. However, it can also be challenging to stay focused, remember information, and comprehend complex concepts. That’s why it’s important to prepare your mind before diving into a nonfiction book.
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In this issue, we will discuss brain gym exercises, alpha brain wave state, writing a one sentence purpose for reading, and crafting questions to answer. These tips will help you prepare your mind and improve your reading experience.

Brain Gym Exercises
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Brain gym exercises are a set of simple physical movements designed to improve brain function and enhance learning. These exercises work by increasing blood flow to the brain, activating both hemispheres of the brain, and promoting the release of brain-enhancing chemicals like endorphins and dopamine.
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Here are some specific examples of brain gym exercises:
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Eye Movements: These exercises help improve eye coordination and strengthen the connection between the two hemispheres of the brain. For example, you can try tracing the alphabet in the air with your eyes or doing eye rotations.
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Brain Buttons: This exercise involves gently tapping specific pressure points on the head to stimulate the brain. For example, you can tap your temples, the crown of your head, or the base of your skull.
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Cross Crawls: This exercise involves alternating opposite arm and leg movements, which helps increase the communication between the two hemispheres of the brain. For example, you can touch your right hand to your left knee, then your left hand to your right knee, repeating the movement several times.
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Hook-Ups: This exercise involves crossing the arms in front of the body while tapping the opposite shoulder with the opposite hand. This helps balance the electrical flow in the brain and promotes relaxation.
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It’s important to do brain gym exercises regularly, as this can help improve reading comprehension and engagement. Doing these exercises before reading nonfiction books can help activate both hemispheres of the brain and improve focus, memory, and learning.
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It’s best to start with just a few exercises, and increase the number. Doing each exercise for about 10-15 repetitions should be enough to see benefits.
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Alpha Brain Wave State
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Alpha brain wave state is a state of relaxed yet focused alertness that is associated with improved learning and memory. When in the alpha state, the brain is in a receptive and open mode, making it easier to absorb new information and remember it.
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To achieve an alpha brain wave state, you can listen to binaural beats audio, which is a type of audio that uses two slightly different frequencies played in each ear to create a third, internal beat. This internal beat can help shift the brainwaves into a specific frequency range, such as the alpha range.
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Here are some specific examples of binaural beats audio that can achieve an alpha brain wave state:
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Alpha Waves: Alpha waves are associated with a relaxed, yet alert state of mind, making them ideal for reading and learning.
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Theta Waves: Theta waves are associated with deep relaxation and increased creativity. They can help with idea generation and connecting disparate pieces of information.
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Delta Waves: Delta waves are associated with deep sleep and unconsciousness. They can be useful for reducing stress and promoting deep relaxation.
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It’s important to listen to binaural beats audio regularly, as this can help improve focus and concentration while reading. When incorporating binaural beats audio into a routine for reading nonfiction books, it’s best to start with short listening sessions, gradually increasing the time spent listening. It’s also important to find a quiet, comfortable place to listen, and to use headphones to fully immerse in the audio experience.
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Purpose and Questions
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In this section of Brain Food Wednesdays Newsletter, I’ll discuss the importance of setting a purpose and crafting questions for reading nonfiction books.
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Having a purpose for reading nonfiction books is crucial for focus and motivation. By having a clear goal in mind, you can better direct your attention and energy towards what you want to learn. A one-sentence purpose statement for each book you want to read can help set expectations and provide direction.
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Crafting questions before you read can also improve your focus and engagement. By having specific questions in mind, you can actively seek the information that you need, rather than passively reading through the text. This can lead to a deeper understanding and better retention of information.
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To craft a purpose statement, think about what you want to learn or achieve from reading the nonfiction book. For example, you may want to “Understand the history of a particular topic” or “Learn how to improve a particular skill.”
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To craft questions, think about what you want to know or understand after reading the nonfiction book. Consider questions that will help you better understand the content and how it applies to your life or work.
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Having a purpose and questions in mind while reading nonfiction books can improve focus, engagement, and understanding. By taking the time to set these goals before you read, you can make the most of your time and get the information you need to reach your goals.
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Conclusion
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Brain Food Wednesdays is dedicated to helping readers get the most out of their nonfiction reading experience. This week, we focused on how to prepare the mind for reading, covering topics such as brain gym exercises, Alpha brain wave state, and purpose and questions.
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By incorporating these tips and recommendations, readers can improve their focus and engagement while reading, remember information more effectively, and gain a deeper understanding of the material. We hope that this week’s newsletter has inspired you to take action and implement these strategies in your own reading routine.
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Remember, preparation is key to success, and taking the time to prepare your mind before diving into nonfiction books can make all the difference. So, make the most of your nonfiction reading experience, and continue to stay tuned for next week’s edition of Brain Food Wednesdays.

One Action
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One action for you to take after reading this issue of Brain Food Wednesdays newsletter is to choose one tip or recommendation covered in the newsletter and implement it into their routine for reading nonfiction books.
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Choose one exercise to prepare your mind to read. Then write a one-sentence purpose for why you want to read a specific book. And then craft the questions you want the book to answer. By taking one step towards preparing the mind for reading, you can experience the benefits of improved focus, comprehension, and engagement.

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If you found this article and newsletter informative, please:
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Until Next Week,

Avil Beckford, Founder, The Invisible Mentor

​theinvisiblementor.com

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