# Scientific Speed Reading: How to DOUBLE Your Reading Speed in under 15 minutes

> Scientific Speed Reading: How to DOUBLE Your Reading Speed in under 15 minutes

- Canonical: https://neurohackingly.com/how-to-double-reading-speed/
- Published: 2022-08-23
- Updated: 2022-10-01
- Author: Lukas Zangerl
- Tags: productivity

### Instructions:

1.  Use a book with standardized formatting. I used ["Deep Work" by Tim Ferris](https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Cal-Newport-ebook/dp/B013UWFM52/ref=sr_1_1?crid=BB6C9SNZCHM1&keywords=deep+work&qid=1661197762&s=digital-text&sprefix=deep+work%2Cdigital-text%2C75&sr=1-1), which is btw. a great book about the flow state.

2\. Count the number of words per line, for ten lines and divide the sum by ten. This will give you the average words per line. _My words per line = 10.4._

![Book page showing word count calculation for 10 lines](../../assets/content-images/how-to-double-reading-speed/image-2.png)

104/10 = 10.4 words per line

3\. Set your timer for **one minute** and read at a pace like you normally would.  
_My score was_ _22 lines x 10.4 wpl (words per line) = 228wpm (words per minute)._

Based on [this article](https://psyarxiv.com/xynwg/) which analysed 190 studies (18,573 participants) the average reading speed per minute is 238wpm for non-fiction books and 260wpm for fiction books.  

![Book page with 22 lines highlighted showing one minute reading test](../../assets/content-images/how-to-double-reading-speed/image-9.png)

My normal reading speed in one minute 

* * *

## 3 easy hacks to increase your reading speed

**👀 Step 1: Use your peripheral vision**

As we read **every word**, from the word "This" at the beginning of the line, till the word "text." at the end of the line our peripheral vision is wasted with blank paper.

>           This is an example text.

![Diagram showing wasted peripheral vision when reading to line edges](../../assets/content-images/how-to-double-reading-speed/image-6.png)

Reading till the last word of a line wastes 20% of the peripheral vision

To fully use the capacity of our peripheral vision we can draw 2 vertical lines like this:

![Book page with two vertical lines marking reading boundaries](../../assets/content-images/how-to-double-reading-speed/image-3.png)

These are our new boundaries and we should now **read from vertical line to vertical line.** After having read 5 pages, move the lines in about one word as shown.

![Book page with vertical lines moved inward one word](../../assets/content-images/how-to-double-reading-speed/image-4.png)

Now only one-third of the picture should be visible for the central vision.

_It is really hard at the beginning but with time you can see the words outside of the margins and your brain autocompletes the sentences._

* * *

**☝🏻 Step 2: Use a pacer (5 minutes)**

As you have probably heard our **eyes do not track in a straight line**, but jump to different fixation points. We should **have two fixation points** per line, one at the beginning and one at the end, so it takes less time to read.

![Diagram showing eye fixation points when reading](../../assets/content-images/how-to-double-reading-speed/image-5.png)

For help, you can use a pen as a pacer underneath the words. As a consequence, you will not bounce back to a different line.

<GifVideo alt="Pen being used as pacer moving under words while reading" webm="/images/how-to-double-reading-speed/ezgif.com-gif-maker.webm" mp4="/images/how-to-double-reading-speed/ezgif.com-gif-maker.mp4" poster="/images/how-to-double-reading-speed/ezgif.com-gif-maker.jpg" />

* * *

**🚀 Step 3: Raise your standard (5 minutes)**

Can you remember driving off a highway and when decelerating to 50km/h you realize that it feels like you are driving way slower? This is because you were adapting to the fast pace when driving on the highway. The same concept we will use for speedreading.  

In the last 5 minutes, we are reading 10% faster than normal to don't understand what we are reading. I repeat: **This last step is not about comprehension, just about exercise.**  
When you have completed the 3 Steps, retest your reading speed and get impressed.

> My word count after just 15 minutes of practicing improved by 68%, from 228wpm to 384wpm.

If you want to learn more about how to build habits that last (6-step guide), then I would recommend reading this [short blog post](/6-steps-daily-practices/).

## Resources:

I got the information from Tim Ferris and his blog posts.

[Speed Reading And Accelerated Learning](https://tim.blog/2009/07/30/speed-reading-and-accelerated-learning/)

[Speed Reading](https://tim.blog/2015/06/09/speed-reading/)

Here's the video.