From Normal Gossip to Call Her Daddy, 2022 has been a great year for podcasts. But did you know that laughing along with The Receipts or marvelling at the twists and turns of Serial actually has psychological benefits?

According to a fascinating new study, podcast listening may help people fulfill their daily social needs. The study found that people who listened to more podcasts per month reported a greater presence of meaning in life and those who formed parasocial relationships with hosts reported a greater sense of relatedness.

It didn’t matter the type of podcast – be it news, comedy, health or spirituality –listening to more podcasts per month and higher social engagement with podcasts was tied to greater presence of meaning in life.

Interestingly, people who listened for more hours per week were more socially engaged with podcasts and had stronger parasocial relationships with their favourite podcast host. These were also associated with greater relatedness, more social engagement and a greater presence of meaning.

It’s clear that an hour of Crime Junkie shouldn’t replace actual human connection in our lives. Socialising isn’t just fun; it can help boost your mood and help you to manage your emotions.

However, when life’s busy schedules mean we go longer without catching up with friends over a glass of mulled wine, it can make us feel less isolated.

Time to get listening. Need some inspiration? Here are some of the best podcasts by women, as chosen by us.

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