While some swear by music’s magical effect on learning, others detest any background noise during their study sessions. Listening to music while studying is one of the most debated techniques in academia. It is a unique learning strategy that might not work with everyone. There are varying research results, opinions, and viewpoints around it. Here’s why it can be a productive way to study or a futile endeavor for students:
Does Listening To Music Help Study?
Just like other stimuli, sounds impact our brain in various ways. How it interacts with songs and tunes determines whether they help us study or not. Here’s how music influences our brain functions and study patterns alike:
- Mood Booster & Stress Buster 🎶 – Music makes humans happy. From beating drums to synced hymns, our favorite music helps us relax and lifts our spirits. Researchers believe that soothing music makes people less anxious and more mentally fit. A thriving field of *Music therapy* exists for this very reason. Another study suggests that a good mood leads to advanced learning outcomes. The de-stressing effect of music allows students to focus more keenly on the subject at hand, enabling them to solve more maths equations while grooving to good music rather than in anxious silence.
- Improves Memory – We often find it far easier to learn lyrics of songs than historical facts or chemistry equations. The strong link between memory and music is the key. Our brain recognizes and employs patterns to understand and retain information. Studies suggest that background music, especially certain special melodies, can also act as a trigger to retrieve memories. It stimulates brain activity and strengthens recall rates.
- Amplifies Cognitive Performance – Music is a brain tonic that nourishes our cognitive functions. A multitude of studies shows that music acts as an exercise that refines thinking and reasoning skills. Research suggests that people who study music or have musical training tend to have enhanced literacy and reasoning skills. Also, the positive emotions triggered by music elevate cognitive task performance.
- Keeps The Students Motivated – Amidst a long and exhausting study session, what’s the thing that keeps students going? Probably a 10-minute break or a snack as a reward. Music tends to activate the same areas of the brain that respond to rewards, thus motivating students to keep learning. Keeping a playlist of favorite tunes for after each topic can serve as a motivational boost to help students study effectively.
- Increases Focus – Acquiring, understanding, and interpreting new information is a complicated task. A Stanford study suggests listening to music, especially classical music, can help simplify the process. It segments new data for easier understanding and reasoning, keeping students’ attention focused on the study material. With more focus, students can gain a better grasp of the subject.
Is Listening To Music While Studying Bad?
- Distracts From Studying – While music can uplift our mood, it can also be extremely distracting. Before a student realizes it, they could be singing along to their favorite song rather than preparing for the test. The louder, more lyrical, and emotionally relevant the song is, the more it will distract one from studying. Thus, the type of music is an important factor to consider.
- Lowers Short Term Memory Capacity – Our memory is divided into different parts. The information we read and interact with at a moment is stored in the working memory, which we use while studying. Studies suggest that music adversely affects our immediate memory by overloading our senses, making it harder to assess and retain the studied lessons. As a result, it can deteriorate the retention of concepts students tried to learn.
- Degrades Reading Comprehension – Due to fluctuating attention and weakened working memory, students’ ability to read and comprehend declines. Research shows this is particularly noticeable with reading. One might find it easier to solve math equations while listening to music than to read a history chapter. Therefore, it’s best to listen to lyric-free music at a low volume for cognitive tasks.
Tips To Use Music Efficiently While Studying
What to do while listening to music comes down to personal preference. It differs from student to student and the type of task at hand. However, following a few evidence-based tips can make studying with music more beneficial:
- Stick to *simple melodies* rather than music with lyrics. This ensures that the student remains engaged in studying rather than distracted by the song.
- Fast and loud music disrupts attention and reading comprehension. Research suggests that soft and slow music works best in keeping students focused.
- Choose music that isn’t too emotionally charged or negative. As long as the song doesn’t make the listener sad or angry, it’s good to go.
- Instrumental music works wonders in study sessions. Though not every student might enjoy Mozart or Beethoven, soothing soft instrumentals are ideal for studying.
- Since background music’s effects are extensive, only students who can use it as white noise should incorporate it into study time.
- Introverts are easily overstimulated, so they should refrain from listening to music while studying to avoid getting overwhelmed or distracted.
- A platform with negligible disturbances and ads should be used to minimize distractions while studying.
The decision to listen to music during study depends on the student’s personality, preferences, and the subject being studied. With the amount of research on the topic, it’s clear that music can be used to help improve studying. A few tweaks to the types of music can help students create the perfect playlist for an ideal study session! 🎧
