Many people consider music to be a beneficial aid for learning and working. Others find it impossible to concentrate when there is even a smidgeon of background noise. Music has numerous advantages, including enhanced mood, higher motivation, improved memory, and brain stimulation, and better pain and stress management.
With these considerations in mind, it may appear obvious that music can help you study more effectively. However, not everyone is in agreement. So, how does it work – does it assist or not?
In this post, we’re going to be taking a look at some expert advice on why you should study with music.
Why You Should Study With Music
Music has been demonstrated to have a number of beneficial impacts on the human body and brain in studies. It affects both the left and right hemispheres of the brain at the same time, which can help you learn more and remember more. Learn how music affects your body and mind, and how to use songs to help you study!
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1. Proven to Relieve Student Stress
Students’ stress levels are high in the middle of a hectic semester. This is the ideal time to review your class notes while listening to music, as it has been proven to help relieve stress! Students should “listen to music,” according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Both healthy people and persons with health difficulties can benefit from music as a stress reliever. Listening to relaxing music helps lower blood pressure, pulse rate, and anxiety levels in cardiac patients, according to research” (UMD Medical Center). This statement demonstrates the potent impact that music can have on the human body. So, before heading to a study session, turn on the radio to assist you to relax.
Music allows them to digest their emotions and strengthen their resolve in the face of adversity. People frequently resort to music that they can relate to in order to cope with stress. If university life leaves you feeling gloomy, bewildered, or distracted, it may be a good idea to turn on some music. It will not only assist you in concentrating on your studies, but it will also assist you in reducing tension and putting you in a learning mood.
2. Reduce Test Anxiety
Anxiety can become a devastating impediment to students’ ability to learn from their textbooks. What are pupils’ options for dealing with it? Let’s assume you were given a free, relaxing massage at the beginning of each study session for the rest of your academic career. As you went over your notes, you would feel less anxious and tense.
While achieving this may be challenging for the average college student, the next best thing is easily available to students all over the world. “One study indicated that music’s influence on anxiety levels is similar to the effect of having a massage,” USA Today reports (Christ). It’s official: listening to music can help you relax just as much as getting a massage! Before going to the library, anxious students should put in their earplugs. They’ll be at ease, comfortable, and ready to take on chapter after chapter.
If you’re like many students who suffer from worry and stress while studying, try listening to rap music. According to a Cambridge University study, hip-hop music has an uplifting effect on listeners, which can help individuals accept, manage, and deal with mental health difficulties more effectively. There are several types of rap, so select one that you enjoy if it means giving your brain the extra boost it needs.
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3. Boost Your Efficiency And Performance
Music has been shown to assist people to perform better in high-pressure settings, such as finals week, a bi-annual high-pressure event. Music has been demonstrated in studies to assist kids to transform from coal to diamonds, allowing them to shine under pressure. “Want to make the game-winning shot when the stakes are high?” asks USA Today.
Listen to some upbeat music before the big game… basketball players who struggle under pressure performed significantly better during high-pressure free-throw shooting if they first listened to catchy, upbeat music and lyrics” (Christ). This applies to you and your studious classmates who are dealing with high-pressure situations. Turn up the volume on that 80s-style boombox!
4. It will assist you in becoming more focused
A Stanford study discovered that “music moves [the] brain to pay attention,” rather than distracting college students. Researchers found that “music stimulates the parts of the brain associated with paying attention, making predictions, and updating the experience in memory” using musical pieces from the 1800s (Baker).
The goal of the study was to look at how the brain sorts out events, but the research also revealed that musical techniques used by composers 200 years ago help the brain organize incoming information. Students can use Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven to help them organize knowledge, which is a valuable advantage when learning.
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5. Proven to improve brain functions
Music has been shown to increase cognitive performance, which is perhaps one of the most convincing reasons to listen to music while studying. In a nutshell, music improves brain function! “Background music has been shown to improve cognitive performance. Listening to music on an exam helped test-takers finish more questions in the time provided and earn more correct answers, according to an older study.
According to a more recent study, whether music enhances cognitive performance depends on whether it first improves a person’s emotional state” (Christ). Evidence now demonstrates that if you want to boost your brain performance when studying, you must first improve your mental state by listening to music you enjoy!
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6. It improves your mood
Studying can be stressful, especially if you don’t understand the content completely. If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, listening to music might help you relax and work more efficiently.
You are not only motivated by music. It can also aid in the reduction of stress and the promotion of a more cheerful outlook. According to research, being in a good mood helps you study better. When you’re in a good mood, studying and understanding new stuff will be easier for you.
FAQs On Studying with Music
Music has been shown in scientific research to increase motivation. Music can trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates motivation and goal-directed behavior. They’re preparing themselves with commitment and a positive mindset in order to attain their objectives.
Music has been demonstrated in studies to improve your mood and help you avoid depression. It can also enhance blood flow in the same manner that statins do, lower stress hormones like cortisol, and relieve pain. Music can even boost post-surgery outcomes if you listen to it before an operation.
Classical music has been shown to improve memory retrieval in Alzheimer’s and dementia patients in other research. Classical music is supposed to help synapses fire, generating or re-energizing brain circuits that had previously been dormant.
While ASMR may not be for everyone, it’s worth a shot—either as a relaxing aid or as a study approach to complement the ones in the Power-Up Planner. You might just come across the ideal item to keep your study sessions on track and your thoughts as calm as possible.
Students can combat stress and anxiety while studying by listening to peaceful and relaxing music. Background music can help you focus on a task by motivating you and elevating your mood. Music might help you stay awake throughout extended study sessions.
Conclusion
Music can lift your spirits and drive you to complete critical activities, but it isn’t always effective as a study aid. Even those who enjoy music may find it distracting when trying to concentrate. While carefully selecting music can help you get the most out of it, if you’re still having trouble concentrating, white noise or other audio options can be a better option.
We hope you found this post really helpful as promised. Please feel free to drop a comment below. Cheers!
References
- fnu.edu– The Benefits of Studying with Music
- healthline.com – Music and Studying: It’s Complicated