I got that too, at first. Just seeing a page in Japanese (no matter how simple) would instantly tire my eyes out. Don't worry about it, it'll go away in time. For now, just try to actively blank out the rest of the page and focus on individual sentences*. As you read more and more, you'll get accustomed to them and it will no longer be a problem .

*note that this in itself can also be tiring; no safe way out, I guess.

(just think of it as running. If you're out of shape and instantly start running for half an hour it will get pretty nasty. Start slowly, run an extra minute every day, and soon enough running for half an hour starts feeling easy).

DevvaR wrote:

The fact that reading is a passive activity, reading can make you sleepy. I suggest every now and then, get up and grab a drink of water.

That's a really good idea. I guess being cozy in bed also doesn't help. I mean it's one thing if I'm in bed reading something in English or Swedish (native tongue) ... but Japanese ... I guess needs more focus at the time being. xD

chillimuffin wrote:

I know the feeling. Try to read stuff that's really interesting to you. If you're dying to know what happens next, it's hard to feel sleepy

I normally agree with this (it's a method that turned me into a book-lover once again after not having read much for nearly 10 years). But I feel like ... I don't even get far enough to know whats going on. Even if something is interesting, physically, I can't keep my energy levels up.

I have the same problem i just watch a tv show/movie or listen to music when i study that helps me and taking a break to stretch and getting something to drink or eat helps too.

Do your reviews standing up. If you can manage it, try doing them while pacing around too.

vix86 wrote:

Do your reviews standing up. If you can manage it, try doing them while pacing around too.

What a great idea! I'm gonna try it today.

Fillanzea wrote:

Small amounts, several times per day. And try reading slightly easier material.

After many years of reading long texts in Japanese, I still feel like 20 or 30 minutes is the most I can manage without a sense that my brain is uncomfortably full. (I can happily read for an hour in English).

I took your advice and went with something slighly easier. Hopefully it will yield better results soon:).

It could also be due to humidity or the atmosphere in your room.
Also, studying in bed magically induces sleep or yawning for me.

Try to find a room that keeps you awake.
I know that sounds weird. But there are certain rooms that keep awake.

Also, there was a scientific study that showed that blue light excites
specific photoreceptors that wakes people up. It has a stronger effect
than caffeine. No one knows if you can overdose on blue light.

But the bulb needs to be at least 17000K. It's not something you'll find at Home Depot though. Maybe it's the kind you see at the aquarium.

Research Study:
http://lighting.com/blue-light-key-to-circadian/

Study that mentions 17000K:
http://realdoctorstu.com/2011/05/23/blu … an-coffee/

Last edited by chamcham (2013 January 22, 12:39 pm)

Onara wrote:

Do you guys think it partly has to do with the fact that I am not used to reading from top to bottom (versus left to right) and without spacing between words?

Should I spend some time just looking at the texts without actually trying to "decipher"? Just let my eyes follow the letters?

This happens to me, less so now than when I first started reading novel, newspapers, websites etc in Japanese. I also get headaches after a while (compared to English when I can read non-stop for a few hours). For me I think it is just eye-strain of looking at small kanji and Japanese script. I am a fast reader when I read English, but with Japanese I have to go a bit slower simply because it's not English and my eyes have more to take in with kanji (ie. distinguishing similar radicals). It will take time and perserverance by eventually it becomes easier.

I would say it's because it's just an intense mental activity. Reading, in English, is a good method of falling asleep at night. In Japanese, it's just much more tiring mentally, but it gets better with time.