Is It Better To Read A Book Or eBook (The Best Answer)

Is it better to read a book or ebook? Which one do you prefer to read? 

While some individuals like reading ebooks, some prefer print books. Individual preference on which is better differs from one person to another. 

But the question we’re going to address is which is better between a print book and an ebook, and why. Now, let’s get to business. 

Is It Better To Read A Book or eBook?

Let’s start by stating the reasons paperback books are better or why most people prefer them. 

1: Your sleep won’t be disrupted when you read print books:

Reading an ebook (from a mobile device or desktop computer) when one is about to wind down for the night can be a terrible idea. Why? Our devices release blue light from their screens. 

Several studies have explained the effect blue light can have on melatonin levels, including circadian cycles. They reveal blue light can disrupt our sleep cycles, making it difficult for people to have a good night’s rest.  

You’ll find it a bit harder to sleep. And even when you manage to sleep, you’ll feel groggier when you wake up in the morning. 

The Verdict: While the blue light released from the screens of our devices can impact the quality of sleep, there are ways you can prevent this. 

In plain terms, you can block the blue light from reaching your eyes and reduce your melatonin levels, as scientists claim. 

Here are ways you can lower your exposure to blue light:

• Wear blue-light-blocking glasses
• Install blue light-blocking software on your device
• Install a screen filter on your mobile device
• Wear blue light filter computer glasses during the day 

With the above measures, you can reduce or eliminate the impact blue light can have on your melatonin levels, which disrupts night rests.

A Handy Tip: Most eReaders have options for readers to adjust brightness and even font size. You can make the fonts bigger to reduce the strain on your eyes.

There are also eReaders with the option to let you read in the dark, change layout, and offer eye protection features. These are helpful measures for people who spend a lot of time on their device’s screen. 

2: The distraction is lower when reading print books:

With print books, all you have to do is take your books out and find a comfortable or quiet place to read. You can even tell the people living with you to let you be while reading. 

The internet has a ton of distractions. No matter how disciplined you are, you may find yourself stuck in the internet’s rabbit hole. 

The moment you turn on your internet connection and start receiving notifications from your numerous social media apps, you’ll be distracted from reading. Even if you can read the book offline, chances are you’ll still be tempted to turn on your internet connection to check what’s happening on social media or if someone left you a message.

So, you’ll experience lower distractions when reading print books compared to when reading ebooks. 

The Verdict: The portability of mobile devices means you can read on the go. You can read while on the train or bus with the people around you unable to figure out what you’re doing. 

With books, the reverse is the case. The people around you’ll be able to tell that you’re reading. Some might even start asking questions about the book you’re reading, which may eventually distract you. 

How can you prevent distractions when reading on your device?

The simple logic is to stop feeding the distractors. Be ready to discipline yourself by focusing only on the book you’re reading. 

You can also prevent distractions when reading by putting your device on airplane mode. This stops calls and internet connectivity to ensure you don’t go online. 

Again, you can install an application that boosts productivity and lets you focus on your tasks. There are many such apps out there. 

What do productivity/ focus apps do? They will prevent you from accessing websites and applications that distract you. Once installed and set, the app will ensure you can’t access social media for a certain period. 

Here are some of the apps that can improve your focus and let you consume a lot of ebooks instead of spending time on social media. 

• Flipd
• Focus
• AppBlock
• WriteRoom
• FocusMe
• Forest
• Cold Turkey

So, gone are those days when social media used to be a distraction. Now, you can install an app that will block access to social media for some period. You can even decide how long you want to block distractions.

Now, it is clear that reading print is not better than reading an ebook because of the distraction one may encounter online. You can install an app on your mobile device or desktop to deny you access to social media or any website that is causing distraction. 

3: They boost people’s interest in reading:

A study involving college students from different countries (United States of America, Slovakia, Germany, and Japan) showed that most students prefer reading print books because they can touch and feel them. 

Students in Slovakia gave shocking reports among all participants. They claim they love the smell of books and that it attracts them to read more. 

The Verdict: While we don’t have to question the outcome of the study, let’s remember that most people find reading ebooks to be more convenient. 

The reason is they can read on their mobile device anywhere they find themselves, and even tend to read more. 

By the way, not all books smell good or smell the same way. Books that cockroaches and rodents have infested won’t smell nice. That’s the truth of the whole matter.  

Why eBooks Are Better To Read

Print book lovers reading this will continue to stand their ground and claim paperback is better. And they have their reasons for stating such. 

Here, we’re going to discuss some of the reasons ebooks are great and why they’ll soon take over. 

1: Embracing ebooks help save Mother Earth:

We’re all witnessing the effects of climate change. The entire world has seen the damage human activities have brought to our planet.

We all want to put an end to climate change and take our climate back to how it was. Unfortunately, we aren’t acting fast. The world hasn’t made a concrete decision to save the planet.

If there were any reasonable plans, the use of print books would have ended by now. Instead, we’ll be talking about ebooks and nothing else. 

The print books we find in the bookshops are made from trees. It has been estimated that around 15 – 20 million trees are cut down every year for the production of paper in the United States of America alone. 

Trees are important, as they help us to get rid of excess carbon in the atmosphere. So, keeping the trees intact is a great strategy to fight climate change. And one way to achieve that is by embracing ebooks.

2: Portability:

With ebooks, you can read anywhere you want. Why? The books are on your mobile phone or iPad. You don’t have to deal with carrying heavy luggage loaded with bulky paperback books. 

Since the books you plan to read when you get to your destination are on your device, you’ll have space in your luggage to carry more items. 

Another reason ebooks are better is that you can store and transport a large number of books on your device. You can store thousands of ebooks. 

When you have a large collection of books, you can switch from one to another whenever you get tired of reading a specific book. 

A Handy Tip: Your print book won’t look the same year in and year out. Even the ones in the library wear out over time. But ebooks remain the same. 

Furthermore, most people claim print books last longer than ebooks. They claim once the device is sold, missing, or the user can’t access their password; the ebook will be lost. 

The thing is, you can store your ebooks and other materials online in diverse places. An example is Google Drive. 

You can access stored files in your Google Drive from any part of the world and whenever you like. 

3: eBooks can have interactive media elements:

Reading ebooks offer another level of excitement and engagement thanks to the interactive elements they contain. You’ll find videos, infographics, pictures, and even links to updatable data.

A Handy Tip: If you’re an author, don’t publish your book unless you’re completely sure that the book cover is top-notch and super attractive. 

Get an expert book cover designer to redesign your book cover and make it catchy. Give your book an irresistible cover design to attract more potential readers and generate more revenue. 

Conclusion

Is it better to read a book or an ebook? Both books have their advantages and disadvantages. But as you can see, we were able to proffer a solution to some of the challenges readers face with ebooks.

For instance, we explained how to reduce or lower the effect of blue light from the screen. We also explained why the ebook is better to read. 

But then, the final decision rests with readers. While some are comfortable with ebooks, others may prefer print books.