How to Stave Off Dementia When You’d Rather Be on TikTok: A Luchadora’s 3-step Reading Takedown

We’ve all seen the headlines guilting us about cognitive decline and the need to do more reading to exercise your brain. But let’s be real: not everyone has the time or freedom to curl up with a book.

Never fear. The Luchadora Litigator is here to help you get that big muscly brain with minimal changes.

With my kids I’m battling chronic “toddleritis” and “early teenager-isation” on a daily basis and so my reading for pleasure time has well and truly fallen off a cliff. In fact I probably went three years without reading anything that wasn’t for work. But I realised I had to exercise the ol’ grey matter, so I got smart about it. And you can too.

1. Ditch the Purists (Who Needs Physical Books?)

Okay, it sounds counter-intuitive to ditch actual books when the whole purpose of this blog is to increase reading, but finding time for a physical book is tricky. Maybe you’re blessed to go into work at a time when you can read sat on a seat on the Tube. But the reality is you’re more likely to be stuck on the Northern line, armpit-deep in a stranger, with barely enough room to avoid a lawsuit, let alone crack out Jane Austen.

Or alternatively you might be like me, stuck in a car, slowly killing off brain cells in mind-numbing traffic.

But you can still “read” through the joys of audiobooks.

I know what your inner critic is thinking: “That’s not reading, that’s listening.”

Let’s be clear: that snobbery is for people who don’t have immense time pressures like jobs, caring responsibilities or kids. If the point is to engage your brain with new ideas and characters, you need to optimise the sh** out of your time. Audiobooks are your secret weapon. Let the purists “um, actually…” themselves into a corner, while you finish your third book of the month.

Here’s how to get it done:

• a. The Daily Commute: This is the biggest “deadspace” in my day. Instead of swearing at the red Audi driver trying to force himself into your lane, you could be channelling that spare brain capacity into a book. Yes, you still have to concentrate on your commute (whether that’s not missing your stop on the Tube, the bus or the tram, or whether that’s making sure not to have a fender-bender in the crawling traffic or parking your massive car in that tiny space), but that’s what the pause and rewind buttons are for. Surely listening to an audiobook has got to be better for your brain then thinking about the latest TikTok trend? All I can say for sure is I’ve gotten through more books this way than I ever would at home.

• b. The Workout (Habit Bundling): This is about wrapping a number of actions together (generally one you like/are good at, with ones you don’t like/aren’t so good at) so that they all become a habit together. For me, I bundle my runs with audiobooks. What better way to take my mind off my burning muscles and wheezing chest (I’m not blessed to be a natural runner) than by focusing on a story? I admit, I don’t always do it (sometimes you need Electro Death Metal to get you through that last kilometre) but it’s an easy way to eat up the miles and the audio pages.

2. Be Disciplined (The “Audiobook-Denier” Method)

Okay, so you’ve got this far through the blog and you’re not convinced. You’re an audiobook-denier *gasp*. That’s absolutely fine. But, if you’re going the old-fashioned route (which might still be modern through the use of a Kindle), you’re gonna need to be disciplined.

Pre-kids, I tried to read the BBC’s top 100 books. To get through War and Peace (which really is no picnic), I set a task: go to bed an hour early every night, and just read for that hour.

I did get through the books, but it was hard work, mainly because reading like that always puts me to sleep.

But hey, that might be a 2-for-1 win for you: you do some exercising of the mind and brain cells and get to feel smug about “improving your sleep hygiene” at the same time.

Maybe you don’t have an hour, maybe you only have half an hour or maybe it’s only 10 minutes. That’s absolutely fine. The key thing is to carve out that time every day (or week, whatever your schedule fits) and then be rigid, and stick with it.

3. Reward Yourself (Yes, Like a Toddler)

Look, I love a good reward chart. There’s something about a tangible thing you can tick off that feels like an accomplishment and helps build the habit.

You might not want a fridge reward chart like my kids have, but even a pen and paper or a fancy “down with the kids” app will do.

Give yourself an overall aim (e.g. read every day for a month) and reward yourself periodically in that time frame (maybe at the halfway point) and then give yourself a big reward when you finish (maybe a book reading diary, yes I’m not kidding they exist, and I’m not a nerd for having one, how very dare you!).

Whichever route you take, the key is consistency. Your brain will thank you and you might even find a new passion (even if your new passion ends up being to burn all the books you forced yourself to read).

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Takedown Checklist

1. Ditch the Purists: Use audiobooks.
   • Weaponise Your “Dead Time”: Fill your commute or workout with listening.
2. Be Disciplined: If you’re going old school, find a time that works and stick to it.
3. Reward Yourself: Set goals and celebrate them.