What Are the Pros and Cons of Audiobooks?

Are you tired of opening up your current novel and skimming back and forth through pages to find where you left off? Does it bother you that so many books are printed with tiny font sizes? Those are just a few of the issues that audiobooks can solve.

There are many different benefits to the use of audiobooks, including improvements to health, attention, time management and creativity. That being said, audiobooks aren’t meant for everyone. Before you leap into a new world of digital reading, check out the key pros and cons of audiobooks.

Pros:

• Saves Time
• Aids Multitasking
• You Can Listen While Driving
• Eye Health is Protected
• Sleep Assistant
• Low Physical Demand
• Convenience
• Variety of Titles
• No Light Requirements
• Enhances Listening Skills
• Stimulates Creativity and Imagination

Cons:

• Comprehension Issues
• Attention and Focus
• Pace and Progression
• It Can Make You Tired
• Initial Startup Costs

The experience of audiobooks is entirely based on the individual user, so these pros and cons will not apply equally to everyone. Determining if they are the right choice for you is all that matters.

Keeping that in mind, what advantages do you enjoy when using audiobooks?

Benefits of Listening to Audiobooks for Adults

Believe it or not, there are many benefits of listening to audiobooks for adults, including better time management, greater efficiency during activities, boosted creativity and comprehension skills, a healthier lifestyle and more. Below are some of the most notable and surprising advantages!

Saves Time

While listening to an audiobook, your hands are left free to do other things. Holding a book and flipping through pages demands your full physical attention; by engaging your mind, audiobooks allow you to work on other projects, run errands, or do chores simultaneously.

Aids Multitasking

Engaging with an audiobook frees you from the hassle of reaching the end of a chapter or page and deciding whether to continue. Audiobooks provide smooth transitions that allow you to multitask without being interrupted.

You Can Listen While Driving

In 2019, over 6% of fatal crashes were due to driving while distracted. Few people read books while driving, because it demands so much attention. However, an audiobook can be played via bluetooth on your car’s speaker system, so you can finally “read” while on the road.

Convenience

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of audiobooks is their convenience. You no longer need to lug around heavy books that take up space in your bag, since an entire library of audiobooks can easily exist on your phone! You also won’t need to hold your phone to “read” an audiobook; just pop your headphones in and be on your way!

Eye Health is Protected

Eye strain is common in people who love to read traditional books, but eye surgeries to repair your vision later in life are expensive and time-consuming. Audiobooks can help you avoid that unfortunate situation, since you won’t need your eyes to read the book on a screen or page of paper.

It Can Help You Fall Asleep

Just as listening to lectures in university may make you drowsy, audiobooks can have a similar effect. Many narrators have soothing voices that will help you relax after a long day. If you are looking for a healthy way to drift off to sleep, without the use of medication, audiobooks can be an excellent option.

Low Physical Demand

Though we don’t think about it, holding a book is physically taxing over time. Audiobooks free up your hands and wrists from the strain of holding the book steady or level, leaving them free to do anything else! All you need to do is plug in your heaphones and enjoy!

Variety of Titles

There are multiple audiobook apps to choose from, and each offers you access to huge selections of titles. You can browse millions of titles from every genre imaginable, all with the swipe of your finger. There are also options for both free and paid platforms!

No Light Requirements

Reading traditional books requires a light source, and ebooks aren’t ideal for reading in some conditions. Audiobooks, on the other hand, require only a small amount of energy to play audio files, and the narration means that you don’t need to switch on any lights to read the lines for yourself!

Enhances Listening Skills

Listening is a critical skill in life, and audiobooks can help you practice this in a passive and enjoyable way. While listening to an audiobook, your auditory centers are activated, and you must focus on what the narrator is saying to remain engaged with the story. Over time, audiobooks can boost information processing and retention skills in people of all ages.

Stimulates Creativity and Imagination

Whenever you read a book, your imagination is activated as you imagine the world being described on the page. Audiobooks can help that process even more, as the narrator’s changing voices may give you more insight on the characters’ personalities, or the tension and mood of the scene.

FAQS

Is It Good to Listen to Audiobooks?

Listening to audiobooks can boost your listening skills, as well as your comprehension and the breadth of your vocabulary. While the story may be the same, an audiobook forces your brain to work in different ways than a traditional book, increasing your engagement and retention of every line.

Are Audiobooks Better Than Paper Books?

As mentioned, audiobooks don’t demand all of your attention.  You don’t need to interrupt the flow of your day to enjoy a good piece of literature. You can multitask more easily, carrying out chores, projects, errands and tasks while a narrator masterfully unfolds a story.

Do Audiobooks Help Struggling Readers?

Audiobooks provide the proper pronunciation of words for readers, which can help them recognize and incorporate new words into their own vocabulary. Reading an unfamiliar word is different from hearing one, and the latter engages a student’s critical thinking skills. They are more apt to use context clues in the spoken sentence and scene they’re imagining, rather than based on the other words on the page.

Are Audiobooks Good for ADHD?

People diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) often struggle to concentrate on tedious or repetitive tasks, such as reading. They may sincerely enjoy stories, but the act of consuming a book in a traditional way is too difficult. Audiobooks offer an easy access point for these individuals, as this technology stimulates different senses and may be able to hold their attention more effectively.

How Do Audiobooks Affect the Brain?

By engaging the brain with a narrated story or text, audiobooks help to switch the brain’s focus away from negative thinking or common stressors. Using the brain in new ways can help a person become more productive and less likely to slip into negative modes of thinking. Studies have shown that audiobooks can be beneficial for people exhibiting symptoms of depression and anxiety.