Reading Neurodiversely*
I love books. I love stories in every form! I’m a self-confessed bookworm so it may surprise you to know that sometimes I find it hard to sit down and read a book and I go through phases of not reading at all. I think this is natural. Sometimes, reading can be inaccessible especially if you are neurodivergent and have attention or learning differences.
How can we make reading accessible?
- Choose a book you want to read. Not something you think you should read.
- Try switching formats: physical, digital, audio.
- Read for you – make reading time you time.
Reading obstacles
A lot of people fall out of love with reading at school when it becomes mandatory instead of optional. For neurodivergent individuals, differences in attention, information processing alongside other complicating factors can make reading more stressful, time-consuming and tiring. Demand avoidant behaviour or a strong aversion to reading is common when it is something we’ve been forced to do and found uncomfortable instead of fun, easy or interesting. This is a very limited explanation of why we can develop a more difficult relationship with reading but our early experiences with reading can impact us in later life.
The main obstacles we come up against when it comes to reading are:
- Finding undisturbed time to allocate for reading
- Being able to sustain our attention long enough to be immersed in the story
- Finding a writing style, genre or format that suits you
- Negative experiences/feelings associated with reading/fear of judgement
Making time for reading that slots in amongst our routines or responsibilities is important. Lots of neurodivergent people struggle with feeling guilty when choosing activities they enjoy over things that they ‘should’ be doing. To prioritise reading, finding time you can claim that would otherwise be ‘wasted’ can help combat that feeling. Waiting time such as a commute or journey, time spent cooking, watching the kids at swim class or waiting for the washing machine to finish a load (this is how I got a lot of my reading done at Uni!) can be a great way to carve out time to read.
Choosing a book that holds your attention
Choosing what to read can feel overwhelming because there are a lot of options! Books that have been recommended to us or that we feel like we “should” read because they’re a “classic” or have won prizes can become a pressurised demand we want to avoid. So forget “shoulds” and ask yourself what you could read. The first book that comes to mind may surprise you!
If you’re not sure where to start, I’d recommend starting with small manageable goals. You wouldn’t go to the gym and expect to lift the heaviest weights right away. Shorter novels, illustrated works, comics and adaptations are becoming extremely popular. Maybe read a magazine or a shorter book you loved from childhood that’s more familiar. Most importantly pick something you’re really interested in – a book that your favourite tv show was based on etc!
If you’d like some advice, visit your local library or bookshop. Tell them what you like genre wise, what you want your reading experience to feel like (fast-can’t-put-it-down or coming away feeling like you’ve lived in someone else’s skin) and ask for some suggestions or even where they look for book recommendations for themselves. There are no rules: you can pick a book from any genre/age range as long as it’s a book you pick up and think “I really want to know what happens next!”
Switching formats
If I’m struggling to pick up a book and start, I try switching up the format. Now you can’t beat a good old physical book but you also can’t change the font or size of the text on a physical book! Digital books offer us this customisation.
I wear blue glasses to help with light sensitivity and being able to adjust the settings so I can read on something other than black text on a bright white background is a huge relief! I use a dyslexia friendly font and increase the text size when my eyes are tired because why suffer or squint? For free access to a huge catalogue of free digital or audiobooks, you can join your local library’s online service.
Did you know that listening to an audiobook activates different parts of your brain? Essentially, the story takes a different route along auditory pathways instead of more visual pathways. This route can be more immersive and allows neurodivergent individuals to multi-task. Listen whilst you’re cleaning, on a walk, on a bus, on a train… you get the picture!
Often ADHDers worry they’ll lose track of what’s going on in the story or that their mind will wander. Speaking from experience, your mind will wander but making some adjustments can help your brain tune in. Some people prefer to listen whilst following the text of a physical book at the same time. For me, it helps to change the speed of audio if it’s too slow (I listen at 1.25x or 1.3x speed!). Listening to a story you’re familiar with can be a good starting point to help your brain get used to the experience! Some books are even recorded as audio-plays or audio productions with full casts of voice actors, music and sound effects. These are brilliant!
I switch to listening to audiobooks when I need help focusing because I can listen to them handsfree, I can set a sleep timer so it will turn itself off after half an hour and if I’m doing a lot of reading or screenwork elsewhere, it’s nice to access reading in a different way (lying down with my eyes shut!).
Reading for yourself
Let’s recap: there are no rules. You can read whatever and however you like! Reading is reading. Added bonus: it’s good for you! Focused or “deep” reading can decrease amygdala activation, activate parasympathetic nervous system responses, support cognitive processes and neural connectivity; promoting brain plasticity. Simply put, reading actively reduces stress, improves our comprehension, analytical skills and the speed we can process information. For a neurodivergent individual, it can become a self-regulating activity which also helps with attention, memory and mental health. Research into how reading impacts the brain’s structure, pathways and function is ongoing and I’ve included links below if you’d like to go on a deep dive! Reading is a key part of my evening routine, I can’t wait to curl up in a cosy corner and read the fantasy paperback waiting for me or if I’m too tired, I’ll pop my sleep headphones on and listen instead!
*Okay, this isn't technically a word but I'm claiming it as a neologism (made up word) and hoping it'll catch on!
Links:
Bavishi A, Slade MD, Levy BR. A Chapter a Day – Association of Book Reading with Longevity - PMC Soc Sci Med. 2016 Sep;164:44-48. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.07.014. Epub 2016 Jul 18. PMID: 27471129; PMCID: PMC5105607.
Horowitz-Kraus, Hershey, Kay and DiFrancesco. Differential effect of reading training on functional connectivity in children with reading difficulties with and without ADHD comorbidity. Journal of Neurolinguistics. Vol. 49. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroling.2018.09.002
Pammer, Kirsten What can MEG neuroimaging tell us about reading? - ScienceDirect Journal of Neurolinguistics. Volume 22, Issue 3. 2009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroling.2008.12.004
Perdue, Mahaffy, Vlahcevic, Wolfman, Erbeli, Richlan and Landi. Reading intervention and neuroplasticity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of brain changes associated with reading intervention. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. Volume 132. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.11.011
Price, Cathy J. Current themes in neuroimaging studies of reading - ScienceDirect Vol 125, Issue 2. 2013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandl.2013.02.002
Polleck, Jody. Neurodiverse youth book clubs for transformative and inclusive social emotional learning. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy. Volume 6. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sel.2025.100163
T. Das, P. Padakannaya, K.R. Pugh, N.C. Singh. Neuroimaging reveals dual routes to reading in simultaneous proficient readers of two orthographies - ScienceDirect NeuroImage. Volume 54, Issue 2. 2011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.09.022
Does Listening to Audiobooks Train Different Brain Areas Than Reading? - Very Big Brain
Audiobooks don’t really count as reading? Think again. — Harvard Gazette
Reading differences are often visual processing differences. Our course Understanding Visual Processing (with a certificate of CPD hours) explains how visual input affects focus and comprehension, and the simple adjustments that help.
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