I read anything and everything on any medium that's available, analog or digital. I'm fluid like that. What I've found, however, is that I rely heavily on my eReader (Kindle) to get me through the rough patches in life. Admittedly, this sounds a bit contrived, a marketing ploy at it's finest, but this has more to do with technology in general than any one brand or company's product.

Insomnia... Reading without triggering the brain's "wake-up time!"

The worst thing to do is turn over and stare at your phone or tablet, devices that use a high level of blue light to illuminate the screen. Overexposure to blue light is linked with negative health consequences, but the immediate concern is your brain thinking it's time to get up. With my eReader set to the lowest light setting, I am not exposing myself to blue light, nor am I flipping on a lamp that would signal to my brain it's time to get up. Instead, I read until I fall asleep.

Distraction-Free Zone

Sometimes it is difficult to focus. If you're like me, even the quiet sanctuary of home has its moments of too many things going on. It's at these times I often need to read and that's where the handy single-page focus of my eReader keeps me on task. One page at a time, my eye doesn't wander off, trying to skip ahead.

Access new material in pajamas!

(Or... avoid contracting and spreading nasty viruses such as this year's flu strain.)

One of the best things about an eReader is having access to books, magazines, etc., any time you need. I particularly love the integration of Overdrive with my local public libraries. I'm saving paper, supporting the community library, and I don't have to get out of my pajamas to do so. The other big reason I enjoy the eReader is I can support indie authors. There are so many writers who haven't landed that coveted deal with a publisher simply because they queried at the wrong time. Today, authors who've decided to go it alone are readily accessible through digital downloads to eReaders. So whether I'm checking out or buying a book, I have more say in who I'm supporting.

As I said before, I'll read anything and everything. I love reading that much. But after chronic bouts of insomnia, distraction, and other inconveniences, I've come to depend heavily on my eReader.