Is reading better for your brain than audiobooks?

Many, then, rely on audiobooks, a convenient alternative to old-fashioned reading. “We found no significant differences in comprehension between reading, listening, or reading and listening simultaneously,” Rogowsky says.

Is listening or reading more effective?

Researchers have found that reading generally is faster than listening. While the average adult can read 250 to 300 words per minute, the ideal talking speed for efficient comprehension is 150 to 160 words per minute. Reading an audio transcription of the content a person just heard can help improve listening skills.

Why is reading better than audiobooks?

In this respect, reading is better for retention and comprehension. Listening is also challenging for humans because it requires them to use real-time comprehension skills, meaning the individual must listen, interpret, and understand almost instantaneously to understand what a person is saying.

Is reading good for the mind?

Reading consistently strengthens connections in the brain, improves memory and concentration, and may even help you live longer. Reading can also reduce stress levels and prevent age-related cognitive decline. To read more, set aside time every day to pick up a book, whether it’s during your commute or before bed.

What the difference between reading and listening to a book?

The critical difference, for me, between reading and listening is that reading is something you do, where listening is something that happens to you. The words on the page aren’t going to read themselves, which is something they literally do in an audiobook.

Are audiobooks or reading better for your brain?

Audiobooks or Reading? To Our Brains, It Doesn’t Matter Stories stimulate the brain in the same way, regardless of whether they’re read or heard. These color-coded maps of the brain show the semantic similarities during listening (top) and reading (bottom).

Is it better to read or listen to a book?

Especially if you’re grappling with a complicated text, the ability to quickly backtrack and re-examine the material may aid learning, and this is likely easier to do while reading than while listening. “Turning the page of a book also gives you a slight break,” he says.

How does listening to stories stimulate the brain?

Stories stimulate the brain in the same way, regardless of whether they’re read or heard. These color-coded maps of the brain show the semantic similarities during listening (top) and reading (bottom). (Credit: Fatma Deniz)

How do audiobooks compare to print books?

All that said, if you’re reading or listening for leisure—not for work or study—the differences between audiobooks and print books are probably “small potatoes,” he adds. “I think there’s enormous overlap in comprehension of an audio text compared to comprehension of a print text.”