The benefits of Audiobooks are plenty and quite a few to mention. While most people would advocate the traditional ‘page flipping’ books for company, Audiobooks have their takers too. As we have already steeped well into the ‘digital era’, we better embrace the involvement of machines in our lives. We have a gadget for practically everything in life, except some can be bought off the market while the others are still in the labs. But believe us when we say we do have a machine for ‘anything’. Likewise, while the traditional aspect of bedtime storytelling is irreplaceable, nevertheless, we have the audiobooks to do just that in the current age. It might not be as soothing as how your grandparents or parents might have read the story to you while you slept, but quite close.
Contents
What is an Audiobook?
Before we embark on discussing the benefits of listening to Audiobooks, let us first understand what an audiobook is all about? Well, simply put, these are the voice recordings of a certain book that a user can listen to rather than read. Also, these are of two different types, the exact version and the abridged version. The best part about audiobooks is that they are accessible from any smartphone, tablet, PC, Home speaker system, or in-car entertainment.
These can need to be downloaded, much like digital videos and music. Likewise, these can also be purchased from online bookstores or accessed through free downloads. To acquire a specific audiobook from an online library, you need to purchase it via an online library card.
The Benefits Of Listening To Audiobooks For Adults And Children
There are many benefits of audiobooks, not just for the kids but also for the adults. Let us take a look at some of them:
1. The Listening Skills
While we have learned tons about talking skills, one hardly considers listening skills. Yes, this is an increasingly declining habit, especially among the latest generation. But, we can still save a great deal. One of the ways is to indulge in a substantial amount of Audiobooks. Apart from this, other literary skills such as vocabulary, fluency, pronunciation, phonemic knowledge, and much more are also enhanced.
2. Negative Thinking: Exit
Sounds strange? Well, don’t be surprised, as audiobooks are known to lift one’s mood and reduce negative thinking. This is because having someone read aloud something to you is soothing and uplifts the mood. According to ‘Psychology today’ people who suffer from depression or anxiety need to indulge in audiobooks once in a while, and it has shown some great results.
3. Just like the Books
Not quite, but almost. Audiobooks are the call of the current time and age. Not all of us are into traditional books. Nevertheless, we love to indulge in what the books have to say once in a while. For this, we have audiobooks. Now, most might argue that these are not as good as the original. Not true. Audiobooks have known to stimulate the brain similarly to traditional books. The ‘Journal of Neurosciences’ stated that research showed that the cognitive and emotional areas of the brain showed the same development in either way.
4. Multitasking
Quite strange? Well, it’s true. You can simply plug in to listen to your favourite audiobook and get some work done too. This improves multitasking tendencies. Now you can be entertained while maybe filing or getting some cleaning done. An excellent idea for housewives to indulge in their favourite reads. As of now, you need not have to worry about not having enough time for books.
5. Enhances Memory
As you are ‘listening’, you do need to retain a great deal of information within the walls of your memory. This helps enhance memory and retention power. After all, as you indulge in the narration, you do need to keep track of names, places, and incidences. Over time, this enhances memory and helps in retaining details.
6. For the Visually impaired
Now, this is one of the best aspects of audiobooks. You can simply plug into the audiobook and get going into a blissful abyss of storytime. This is a major boon for the people who cannot see. An audiobook offers the kind of experience of learning and listening that can fill in a major void for those who are visually challenged. Some of the great audiobook platforms are available online that are designed especially for those who need to listen to books as they cannot read. Not just this, but also, there are Audiobooks for academic books and syllabi.
These are available in the form of audio files, present online. These need to be played on consumer electronic devices, including phones, tablets, PC, and others. The audio formats available are:
- MP3
- WMA
- AAC
These are the file types that most media devices are designed to function. Some of the leading websites that offer audiobooks are:
- Apple Book
- Audible. Com
- AllYouCanBooks.com
- Project Gutenberg
- Downpour
- Nook Audiobook
One of the most striking aspects of audiobooks is that they are not something new. To be precise, audiobooks have been around since the 1930s. These were not as widely used or accessible as they are today; nevertheless, they existed nonetheless. At the time, these were in the form of cassettes, Vinyl records, and others. However, with the advent of the internet, audiobooks have emerged as the new medium.
Benefits of Audiobooks - The Conclusion
So, you see, people, these were some of the most important advantages of audiobooks. Audiobooks have become a major part of our lives in the current times. While traditional books still are some of the most sought-after aspects of our lifestyle, audiobooks are making their pace. Hence, the next time you wish to have someone read aloud to you, simply plug into an audiobook.