Music has long been known to have a profound effect on moods and emotions. And in recent years, research has shown that not only can music have a positive effect on motivation and work performance, but also on cognitive ability. Scientists have found that when people listen to stimulating music, their brain waves speed up, improving their ability to think quickly and recall information. These findings have been backed by extensive research from renowned institutions such as the University of California at Irvine and the University of Barcelona.
What could be the symptoms of being unable to concentrate?
- Unable to remember things that occurred a short time ago
- Difficulty sitting still or not moving
- Unable to think clearly
- Difficulty in remembering where you’ve put your stuff
- Questioning your decisions
- Getting shook down by complicated tasks
- Lacking focus/ concentration
ADVANTAGES OF LISTENING TO MUSIC WHILE LEARNING
A great song can motivate study or work, pull you through on a long drive, or even help us learn new information. The enjoyment of music is thought to be embedded in some of our very first human ancestors, and thousands of years later, music continues to be enjoyed by individuals around the world. But could music also influence our attention?
The thing that everyone finds most difficult when studying is concentrating. It was found that music helps us concentrate, and can help us study in a better way. One study suggests that relaxing music is the best type, but we don’t think this is completely true — we believe music can be used in many different ways to help us concentrate on our studies.
What music may do to the human brain has always been a topic of debate. However, a breakthrough study reveals that classical music can positively affect cognitive performance. In a recent study conducted by the University of Sussex, researchers discovered that the Brain’s Default Mode Network — which includes areas related to language and sensory function as well as those involved in self-conscious thinking — is affected by classical music.
Whether you’re rockin’ around the clock or tapping your toe to a sophisticated symphony, music’s magical effects on our minds and bodies have been known for centuries. From Mozart to Motown, music has made a regular appearance in our lives as a way to soothe, learn, and feel happier. Now scientists believe it helps us do one more thing: concentrate better.
Not only can music help you concentrate, but it can also keep you mentally alert and improve your working memory, according to recent scientific studies. Play the right kind of music and tunes as you sit down to work and you’ll be more productive…
The uses of music in the classroom have been documented for many years. Using music to learn languages is not new, but it certainly has not been the focus of schools or universities for quite some time. Perhaps that will change. Music can help create a wide variety of moods, which can help us focus more efficiently, therefore, improving our learning ability
Technological advances in music are experiencing rapid growth. With new technologies on the horizon, it is important to explore how they will impact our everyday lives.
We will explore the impact of the Right Music on Learning. The concept of music-assisted learning is not new. We know that background sounds such as classical music can help us feel positive and relaxed, but can music improve how we learn? This article will look at whether ‘auditory stimulation’ (sound like music) has any effect on memory and attention when compared with no sound while you are learning.
Most people agree that music helps them concentrate. Some people can’t study with background noise. Many studies have shown that music has a considerable effect on the human body and its brain. It is said that music activates both left and right sides of the brain, such that both hemispheres activate and increase our learning capacity and memory power.
Music helps in changing our mood, motivation, and memory. Research also states that listening to soothing music can help decrease blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety levels in heart patients. Music is a well-known stress-buster.
A 2007 study by the Stanford University School of Medicine says that classical music can help our brain absorb and interpret new information more easily. Researchers have also found that music helps the brain in such a way that it improves attention and makes accurate predictions about what might happen.
The DataPop program investigated the effects of adding data visualization to music lessons. Data were collected in an experiment with 83 students in grades 3–5. Students were randomly assigned to music groups that either listened to high-energy music, low-energy music, or no music. They then performed two tasks in the science room. The results supported that high-energy music benefited students’ performance on a science task when compared with low-energy music or no music.
The infamous reason for adults or children showing less interest in studies is anxiety. Sources from USA Today reveal that one of their studies found that music’s effect on anxiety levels is similar to the effect of getting a massage. This solves the classical problem of getting anxiety while preparing for a test and moments before giving the test. So, it’s pretty much advised to listen to music before giving the exam so you don’t get anxiety attacks.
It is also said that listening to music in a study session can help improve your cognitive performance. In simple words, it can help your brain function well. But it also depends on your emotional state. So, if you want to improve your efficiency while listening to music during study time, make sure that you first set your emotional state right by listening to the music that you enjoy. After that, transition to slow beat or lo-fi music to study and remember more.
Music is similar to a cognitive exercise to your brain. Research proves that people who are trained in music before the age of seven are less likely to get affected by dementia. So, you can improve your efficiency and memory power daily by listening to music before your study session.
A study done by Cambridge University also states that listening to rap songs helps to accept, manage and deal better with mental health issues. It is also said that music can reduce the perceived amount of pain. But everyone has different choices/ tastes in music, so find the genre that suits you. When you’re sad or demotivated, listening to music might help in distracting you. But distraction is not all you need. If you’re trying to solve something, loud music can distract you and hinder your thought process.
DISADVANTAGES
Studies have also shown that music can hurt working memory. It’s also proved that it can reduce working memory. If you’re someone who can’t multitask and forget things too often, then listening to music is not a great choice for you. Also, loud/fast music is said to lower reading comprehension i.e., they tend to make understanding difficult and reading materials.
Studies also show that music, memory, and emotions are related. This is why we remember lyrics more than the elements in the periodic table. The brain always looks for patterns to better understand, recall, and process information. It is advised to listen to music that you don’t have feelings about such that you won’t be caught up wasting your time singing the songs. It is proven that music helps in decreasing anxiety, inattention, and insomnia.
Music can help with memorization. The “Mozart Effect” states that listening to Mozart study music increases intelligence. But on the other side, A 2004 research by Cardiff-based psychologists Perham and Currie showed a very 60% performance improvement if you learn in silence vs. If you have music with lyrics in the background. This doesn’t mean we need to stop listening to music right away because the researchers used only super-distracting music from heavy/thrash metal genres.
But we all are different. We have various music choices. One song might be pleasant to someone while it isn’t for others. Sometimes, the song you like seems pleasant because you know what comes next in the lyrics. To someone, their favorites might distract them because they can’t stop memorizing the lyrics or they get too involved in the music and forget what they are doing. We all have different study tasks and different levels of concentration.
Experimentally, a review of 51 separated studies states that music has a significant effect on heart rate, brain activity, and release of bio-chemical stress-reducing effects. But music motivates you. Music can even boost your memory. But never assume that you’ll get smarter by listening to Mozart!
Prem Velpula, Content Writer
