Mental roadblocksMental roadblocks cann cause trouble reading

Fuzzy thinking and difficulty concentrating can get in the way of reading. “If your attention isn’t focused on the sentence you’re reading, you’re not likely to register enough of the sentence to understand what your eyes just passed over,” notes Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

You might experience fuzzy thinking or difficulty concentrating because of

• a lack of sleep
• stress
• nutrient deficiency
• a medication that makes it harder to concentrate
• reading or learning disabilities.

Sometimes age-related cognitive changes affect reading skills. Reading requires attention, short-term memory, and recall, which decline a little as we get older. “It’s normal when you’re older that your reading might be slower or that you have to occasionally read a sentence more than once to get its meaning. Your ability to read and retain information may take more effort,” Dr. Salinas explains.