The Great American Read

Posted by Marcea

According to Pew Research, 73% of Americans say they’ve read at least one book in the past year. If you’re one of those people, have you watched The Great American Read? An eight part series on PBS, The Great American Read goes through 100 beloved fictional novels and talks about each book and its author.  There’s also an opportunity for viewers to vote every day on their favorite books. PBS will narrow down the votes every few months until they have a list of the top books loved by Americans from 100 down to 1.

As avid readers know, eyestrain can be a major issue. Here are 4 things you can do to help combat eyestrain and read even more of those top 100 books:

1. Practice Eye Yoga – 3 out of 4 people experience eyestrain daily. When the muscles of your eyes get fatigued, they start to itch and get sore. A little eye yoga can help! Look straight ahead and then all the way up. Count to 2 and then all the way down. Count to 2 and then look to the extreme left. Count to 2 and look to the extreme right. Next move your eyes to the corners (you might feel a little stretching, which is good). Repeat the entire cycle for 1 minute.

2. Have a Great Light Source – Having a good source of light behind you while you read directs the light onto the page so you can see clearly. The OttLite Revive Floor Lamp can help with that. Part of our Wellness Series, it has proprietary LEDs that are proven to reduce eyestrain by up to 51%. With its extended arm and three points of adjustment to direct the light right where you need it, the Revive Floor Lamp is a perfect reading companion.

3. Take Regular Breaks – You’re right in the middle of a great chapter, who wants to take a break? We know it’s hard to break away before you discover who-done-it. But if you want to prevent eyestrain so you can read for even longer, you need to rest your eyes regularly. Try the 20-20-20 rule – every 20 minutes, look at an object about 20 feet away from you for at least 20 minutes.

4. Eat and Drink To Good Eye Health – Remember the myth that carrots can help you improve your eyesight? Well it’s not a myth! Some foods (including eggs and avocados) have things such as lutein, antioxidants and Vitamin A which all help your eye health. Also did you know that the resveratrol that’s in red wine is an excellent antioxidant? Some doctors recommend 4 to 8 oz of red wine because of the properties that are good for the eyes. Cheers!


Which book from The Great American Read would you rate #1?

 





You need to login to comment.