Maintaining wellbeing and a good work–life balance has become more difficult for GPs faced with an ever-increasing workload. To address this, I wanted to implement a small behavioural change in my daily routine, and a friend mentioned that listening to audiobooks and podcasts helped her to wind down before bedtime. She encouraged me to download an audiobook app onto my smartphone.
My preferred learning style is visual, and I therefore had not been an enthusiast for audiobooks. Nevertheless, I decided to challenge myself, and to my amazement, I wholeheartedly enjoyed the experience and found it was another means to stimulate and entertain my brain. Although audiobooks are a modern concept, most of us have already experienced something similar when being read to in childhood.
Audiobooks have many benefits. They are a helpful tool for boosting mood and disrupting negative thinking patterns,1 particularly during COVID-19-related social distancing and self-isolation. Audiobooks have provided me with the same benefits as reading—stories stimulate the same cognitive and emotional areas, regardless of which medium is used. Audiobooks are simple to operate and have the potential to reduce stress, calm the mind, and boost mental health. Many people listen to soothing audiobooks before going to bed, which may help them to sleep and to improve sleep quality, an important factor in boosting and maintaining our mental health.
Maintaining wellbeing and a good work–life balance has become more difficult for GPs faced with an ever-increasing workload. To address this, I wanted to implement a small behavioural change in my daily routine, and a friend mentioned that listening to audiobooks and podcasts helped her to wind down before bedtime. She encouraged me to download an audiobook app onto my smartphone.
My preferred learning style is visual, and I therefore had not been an enthusiast for audiobooks. Nevertheless, I decided to challenge myself, and to my amazement, I wholeheartedly enjoyed the experience and found it was another means to stimulate and entertain my brain. Although audiobooks are a modern concept, most of us have already experienced something similar when being read to in childhood.
Audiobooks have many benefits. They are a helpful tool for boosting mood and disrupting negative thinking patterns,1 particularly during COVID-19-related social distancing and self-isolation. Audiobooks have provided me with the same benefits as reading—stories stimulate the same cognitive and emotional areas, regardless of which medium is used. Audiobooks are simple to operate and have the potential to reduce stress, calm the mind, and boost mental health. Many people listen to soothing audiobooks before going to bed, which may help them to sleep and to improve sleep quality, an important factor in boosting and maintaining our mental health.
References
- Homen J. 8 mental and physical benefits of audiobooks. blog.libro.fm/8-mental-and-physical-benefits-of-audiobooks/ (accessed 10 March 2022).
- Ameri F, Vazifeshenas N, Haghparast A. The impact of audio book on the elderly mental health. Basic Clin Neurosci 2017; 8 (5): 361–370.