A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations, 7th edition - Kate L. Turabian 2007

Diagnose what you read
Revising sentences
Part I. Research and writing: from planning to production

Once you understand how readers judge what they read, you know how to write clear prose, but also why so much of what you must read seems so dense. You might struggle with some writing because its content is difficult. But you may also struggle because the writer didn't write clearly. This next passage, for example, is by no means the thickest ever written:

15a. Recognition of the fact that grammars differ from one language to another can serve as the basis for serious consideration of the problems confronting translators of the great works of world literature originally written in a language other than English.

But in half as many words, it means only this:

15b. Once we know that languages have different grammars, we can consider the problems of those who translate great works of literature into English.

So when you struggle to understand some academic writing (and you will), don't blame yourself, at least not first. Diagnose its sentences. If they have long subjects stuffed with abstract nouns expressing new information, the problem is probably not your inability to read easily, but the writer's inability to write clearly. In this case, unfortunately, the more experience you get with academic prose, the greater your risk of imitating it. In fact, it's a common problem in professional writing everywhere, academic or not.