13 Surprising Advantages of Audiobooks You Might Not Have Known

Audiobooks have become immensely popular among readers. People seem to finally understand that audiobooks offer the same experience as reading and sometimes are even more enjoyable than physical books. 

Listening to audiobooks has many benefits, one of which is that you can easily fit them into your daily routine. Another key advantage of audiobooks is  that they are an absolute escape while stuck in traffic or waiting in line. 

There are many more major perks of listening to audiobooks for busy bookworms as you’ll learn in this article. 

Benefits such as improving sleep quality, enhancing concentration and 13 surprising  advantages that will compel you to listen to audiobooks even more. 

Improves Listening Skills

Listening to audiobooks can help you develop active listening skills. When you follow along the story, plot and characters you are required to pay close attention to what’s being said and make connections between each situation. 

Another fascinating fact about audiobooks is that you’re exposed to different accents and dialects which may be foreign to your ear, but listening to them over and over again can significantly boost your overall listening skills. 

Personally, I am so grateful that audiobooks exist. By listening to books that are narrated by the best narrators, I have indeed sharpened my listening skill.  

Here are a few of my favorite well-narrated books that I recommend to improve your  listening  proficiency. 

• Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 
• The Great Alone  by Kristin Hannah
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Enhances Productivity

Another key benefit of audiobooks is that it helps you to multitask. One significant advantage that audiobooks have over physical books (or even ebooks) is that you can listen to the book even if you’re busy doing another activity. You can go for a long walk, exercise or even perform daily house chores. In fact, I have compiled a list of 31 productive and fun things to do while listening to audiobooks.  

Bottom line is that listening to audiobooks are great options for busy individuals and even for anyone who doesn’t get to set aside specific reading time. 

Helps to Improve Language Skills

You will be surprised to learn that listening to audiobooks has many language learning benefits. When a voice actor reads a story, you pay close attention to reading speed, words, accent, and even the minute details such as stress, intonation and pause. So you learn how to use certain phrases, words and idioms. All of these factors can contribute to the overall proficiency of the language.  

I have been listening to audiobooks narrated by Julia Whelan for quite some time. And I can honestly say, her mastery of accents and ability to capture emotion have transformed my language skills. 

Reduces Anxiety and Stress 

There is nothing like listening to an immersive audiobook after a stressful day. Whenever I feel distracted or looking to shift my focus away from negative thoughts, I tune into a captivating audiobook. The serene and soothing voice of the audiobook narrator instantly relaxes my mind. 

However, here is the important thing to remember, you should look for a voice actor who actually has a gentle voice that can bring a sense of calm to the listening experience. Also remember to choose a fun and light hearted book to listen to. 

Here are some audiobooks that I would want to listen to after a strenuous day. 

• Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau ( narrator Caitlin Kinnunen  has the sweet voice)
• The Collected Stories of Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne ( ok, so probably the best voice cast a book can ever have,  Stephen Fry , Judi Dench, Michael Williams , Geoffrey Palmer , and  Jane Horrocks

It Makes the Story Memorable

Another major plus point of listening to audiobooks is that it makes the story unforgettable.  Whether it’s rom-com books or self-help audiobook, listening to audio narration has created a lasting impression of the story in my mind. This is particularly useful when you’re listening to classic novels. Listening to a voice actor bringing  life to the characters and plot, can help  you visualize and create a mental picture of the story.  

One of the best examples I can recall is listening to a sci-fi audiobook called, Project Hail Mary. Science fiction has never been something I enjoyed listening to. Probably because of the futuristic concepts and jargons. However, when I listened to the book on Audible, I absolutely fell in love with the story. Ray Porter’s exceptional narration has made the story even more delightful and memorable. 

Help To Build Your Attention and Focus

You would be delighted to know that listening to audiobooks can actually help you increase your attention span. Unlike reading a book, audiobooks require you to focus more, because you’re entirely relying on your ear to fully understand the story. So naturally you’re forced to pay more attention to the story. And the major advantage of audiobooks is that when a professional voice actor reads the story, you’re less distracted and more likely to concentrate for a longer period of time. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could listen to long audiobooks without having to get bored or lose focus. Thanks to the audiobooks, I could enjoy hours long audiobooks like Little Women, Project Hail Mary, Dune and many more.  

If you want to take your listening experience to another level, give a listen to an audiobook narrated by Tom Hanks, The Dutch House.  His talent for bringing characters to life is truly unmatched that you wouldn’t be able to resist spending endless hours listening to the book. 

Prepares You For a Good Night’s Sleep 

If you’re looking for ways to fall asleep faster and better, audiobooks are the best solution. Listening to a story can quickly relax your mind. A skilled narration of an audio performer can help you take your mind off of the anxiety and immerse yourself in the story. Eventually, it helps you to drift off into a peaceful slumber. So make sure to include a bedtime routine that includes listening to audiobooks. 

One of my favorite audiobook platforms, Audible has curated the list of ten best audiobooks to fall asleep to. 

Audiobooks Can Help You Consume More Books

If you have a lot on your calendar and unable to find time to read on a regular basis, listening to audiobooks is a brilliant idea. As I mentioned above, one of the noteworthy advantages of audiobooks is that you can very easily multitask while enjoying an audio version of the book. Therefore you can easily incorporate audiobooks into your agenda. So over time you’re very likely to develop a love for literature and be motivated to delve into new genres. 

Enhances Creative Skills

Among the most obvious advantages of audiobooks, one I really appreciate is that it helps to stimulate creative and imaginative skills. For instance, when you listen to a whimsical fantasy audiobook series like A Song of Ice and Fire series being narrated to you, a highly imaginative world of stories and characters come to life. The meticulously structured world building combined with the voice actor’s expert narration encourages you to broaden your perspectives and  think out of the box. In brief, listening to books in audio format can really have a considerable effect on your creative skill. 

It’s a Cost-effective Form of Entertainment 

So, let me make it clear audiobooks aren’t cheap but there are ways you can listen to audiobooks for an incredibly low rate. For this reason, compared to physical books, audiobooks are really affordable for everyone. There are many audiobook subscriptions available that make listening to audiobooks easier and cost-effective.  However, each platform has its own pros and cons. 

Here are a few audiobook platforms where you can access audiobooks. I have tried each one of them except libby as I can’t access them here in Belgium. 

• Scribd- I have been using Scribd for a while now. It’s a great audiobook subscription service with a great collection of audiobooks  including new titles. Unfortunately, you can’t own the book and you can access it only with a subscription.  

The Creative Muggle readers can grab a free two month trial if you want to give it a try!

• Audible- Audible is a popular platform from Amazon and works on a monthly credit basis. Unlike Scribd, Audible gives you lifetime access to the audiobook that you’ve purchased. They also offer an Audible plus subscription, that gives you unlimited access to their library ( mostly classics, but a few contemporary books as well. ) Read my beginners guide on How Audible Works to know more!

• Libby-  If you’ve a valid library card, you can access the audiobooks through this free app. You can browse through the audiobook catalogs of your local library and listen to them on the app. 

• Lit2Go- Finally, we have Lit2Go, an open source platform to listen to audiobooks.  It’s a fantastic resource for those who want to listen to timeless classics for free. 

It Has a Positive Impact on Your Mental Health 

By now you already know that listening to audiobooks improves your attention span and helps you get a goodnight sleep. All of which is a contributing factor to mental wellness.  When you spend more time listening to engaging and effortless narration of a audiobook narrator, you’re quickly drawn into the story. Most of the time actors do a great job of creating distinct voices and accents which makes you completely engrossed in the story. Which provides a much-need escape from negative thinking. So overall, audiobooks are a great tool to uplift your mood and mindset. 

Helps to Overcome Boredom

Listening to audiobooks is a fabulous way to stay entertained and keep the boredom at bay! Whenever you feel restless or want to take a break from endlessly social media scrolling or binge-watching Netflix, tuning into an audiobook offers a fun escape. 

You can always choose an audiobook that matches your interests. For me, I love sweet romance audiobooks. They instantly uplift my mood while doing a monotonous task,  but occasionally I also listen to self help audiobooks or spiritual books for a dose of  motivation. 

Audiobooks are Great for People With Visual Impairments.

As one can listen to audiobooks from virtually anywhere and at any time, they are a great convenience for people with visual impairments. Individuals who are blind or have low vision can easily listen to a story without having to rely on the printed texts. Whether at home, during the commute they can easily enjoy a good story. Listening to audiobooks also allows them to have a sense of independence without having to ask for help. Find the list of ten Audiobook Sites for Blind and Visually Impaired.

There you go, the 13 noteworthy benefits of listening to audiobooks.

Here are a few audiobook related post to read next!

• 27 Highly Popular Audiobooks That Are Worth Listening to In 2023
• 35 Best Audiobooks To Listen To On Road Trips