Audiobooks are becoming more popular, and it has people wondering if there are any mental health benefits to listening to audiobooks. Since mental health is so important, it is a valid concern. Surprisingly, there are a number of studies, where researchers prove their are definite benefits to mental health. In this article, we will cover 10 ways audiobooks can benefit mental health. This is NOT medical advice, if you are in need of help, please contact a professional.
You can listen to a Google NotebookLM podcast about this article here:
Affiliate Disclosure: We may be compensated for qualified purchases from links in this article, at no cost to you. Thank you ! You can read full disclosure, here.
Benefit #1 – Reduces Stress
Listening to audiobooks provides distraction from daily worries, triggering relaxation responses like lowered heart rate and blood pressure. Audiobooks give your mind a break from mental clutter, allowing it to rest and recharge.
Benefit #2 – Improves Mood
Uplifting audiobooks elicit positive emotions like joy, amusement, and inspiration that boost psychological wellbeing. Escapism into audiobook worlds leaves listeners feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Benefit #3 – Boosts Self-Esteem
Motivational audiobooks with affirmations directly build up self-worth. Inspiring biographies motivate listeners and make them feel capable of achieving great things. Finishing audiobooks provides a sense of accomplishment.
Benefit #4 – Provides Mental Stimulation
Audiobooks exercise focus, memory, critical thinking, and other cognitive skills. Complex plots require making inferences and analyzing perspectives. This stimulation strengthens neural connections and may build cognitive reserve.
Benefit #5 – Encourages Empathy
Fiction audiobooks allow listeners to experience events through characters’ perspectives. Understanding diverse characters develops empathy for different life experiences.
Benefit #6 – Improves Sleep
Audiobooks distract the mind from racing thoughts, produce a soothing tone, serve as white noise, and provide escapism that relaxes the body and mind. Associating listening with sleep trains the brain over time.
Benefit #7 – Reduces Dementia Risk
Regular listening exercises parts of the brain impacted by dementia – memory, language, executive function. Audiobooks may build cognitive reserve to compensate for age-related neuronal loss and slow cognitive decline.
Benefit #8 – Provides Companionship
Audiobook characters can feel like companions for isolated listeners. Performances bring characters to life, satisfying social/emotional needs. Discussing books provides conversation topics to connect with others.
Benefit #9 – Expands Perspectives
Nonfiction exposes listeners to new information and diverse worldviews. Fiction allows listeners to empathize with different viewpoints. Cumulatively, this expands mental frameworks and challenges assumptions.
Benefit #10 – Distracts from Negative Thoughts
Engaging plots occupy the mind, while positive emotions counteract negativity. Escapism provides distance from unhelpful thought cycles. Listening can become a routine distraction technique.
Affiliate Disclosure: We may be compensated for qualified purchases from links in this article, at no cost to you. Thank you ! You can read full disclosure, here.
FAQ’s
Are there benefits to listening to audiobooks for students?
Yes, there are benefits to audiobooks for students. Young students will gain confidence with words and vocabulary as they are exposed to the proper pronunciation and connection of words. Older students can benefit from the ability to multi-task while listening to audiobooks, as well as, the easier comprehension of tougher more dense books by listening to them rather than reading them.
Does listening to audiobooks help you study?
Listening to audiobooks can help you study, especially if you are more comfortable with listening instead of reading. It is also easier to write notes while you are listening to an audiobook, then it is to put a physical book aside, write your notes, and then try and find your place again. This study finds there is no difference to the brain if you read it or hear it.
What are some of the benefits of listening to audiobooks vs reading a book?
The main benefit of listening to an audiobook rather than reading it is that there seems to be a greater ability to recall information from an audiobook. The narrator focusing on setting the scene and the pacing, tends to make an environment more conducive to storing the info in the brain.
Are there any benefits of listening to audiobooks for adults?
There are numerous benefits of listening to audiobooks for adults. Studies find listening to audiobooks can reduce stress and increase mental health. Listening to audiobooks by adults also benefits by letting the listener “break away” or “unplug” from hectic lives for a while. Also, you can get more done by multi-tasking while listening, and can make maddening commutes less maddening by listening to a favorite audiobook.
What are the benefits of listening to audiobooks for students with disabilities?
The main benefit of listening to audiobooks for students with disabilities is comprehension. Students with disabilities often have a hard time either sitting down to read a book, or understanding fully the words in the book. Listening to an audiobook allows the students to listen to an immersive environment that helps them better understand the material. As such, they gain more confidence by not always being behind other students because they have “learned” the material, too.
Who can benefit from listening to audiobooks?
The people who can benefit the most from listening to audiobooks are those that have problems reading, like dyslexia. People that want to read books more, can also benefit by listening to them while they are doing other things.
Can you reduce your stress levels by listening to audiobooks?
Yes, you can reduce stress levels by listening to audiobooks.
Do audiobooks stimulate the brain as much as reading a physical book does?
Yes, this study, says audiobooks stimulate the brain as much as reading a physical book does. In fact, our brains really don’t differentiate between material we read or material we listen to.
Are there reasons why audiobooks good for students?
There are plenty of reasons why audiobooks are good for students, but the one I like the most is the ability to multi-task. When I was walking between classes on campus, I could plug in my favorite audiobook, and veg out a bit on my way to class and mentally prepare for the next class.
Can listening to audiobooks improve my speech?
Yes, your can improve your speech by listening to audiobooks. By listening to the correct pronunciation of difficult words helps people struggling with speech. It is also beneficial for people learning a new language to listen to audiobooks in the new language to build confidence and fluency.
Can listening to audiobooks help with dementia?
Yes, there are some studies that show listening to audiobooks can help people with dementia. Listening to audiobooks certainly won’t reverse dementia, but by listening to books they may have read or enjoyed, pre-dementia, may provide enjoyment and relaxation for the person.
Will listening to audiobooks improve my vocabulary?
Yes! Listening to audiobooks will improve your vocabulary. An especially effective technique, is to follow the audiobook with the physical book. That way, as the narrator is saying the words, you see the words in the book. You will hear the correct pronunciation and associate it with the correct spelling.
Affiliate Disclosure: We may be compensated for qualified purchases from links in this article, at no cost to you. Thank you ! You can read full disclosure, here.
Related Posts:
Katy B. Rutland
My name is Katy, and storytelling is pretty much my jam. Snuggling up with a good book and escaping into a thrilling movie has been my addiction since I was a little kid. I studied English Lit in college which was literally heaven for a word nerd like me. Since graduating I've focused my passion and energy on writing my own novels and screenplays.