Have a mountain of work to get through but your studying strategies just aren’t working? Have tried coffee and all recommended tactics but nothing seems to keep your focus on the task at hand?
Music can be an effective tool for increasing concentration and productivity. Give music a chance! It could make a significant impact in your workday!
1. Increases Focus
Many students misbelieve classical music is the only effective form of study music. You might be surprised to see just how many playlists of EDM or electronic dance music (EDM), also known as pulsing electronic dance beats, on Spotify that have the tag “study”. Studies have proven EDM to be effective at helping concentration, especially if tracks don’t contain lyrics. Other options such as ambient electronic beats such as those found here (Blade Runner soundscapes to Aphex Twin’s stimulating ambient beats plus Carl Craig’s relaxing spa-like meditative pieces).
Ambient electronic music can actually help you focus when studying by stimulating the brain’s attention centers. Slow instrumental music may increase productivity and boost mental ability when concentrating, so try some trance or ambient house to set an atmosphere conducive to studying.
If you prefer something with more upbeat beats, some students swear by dubstep as an effective way to switch into study mode and remain focused. But heavy beats may actually prove more distracting and make concentration more challenging; also keep lyrics in mind since words activate different parts of your brain and can negatively influence concentration levels.
2. Calms the Mind
On a study break, many students can be seen reading with music playing in the background; however, according to Swinburne Online Director of Psychology Nikki Rickard, overloading your brain with too much music could hinder learning rather than help it. She says the type of music played while studying can impact how well students retain new information they’ve just acquired.
Research indicates that it may be wise to forgo listening to lyrics-rich or upbeat music while studying, as this type can tempt your focus away from what you’re actually learning and onto rhythm and beat instead. Instead, choose slow instrumental music without too much variation in tempo – this should help relax you as it helps calm the mind. You could also try ambient genres such as space music or soft electronic, as well as nature sounds such as babbling brooks and wind noise; moreover there has been an increased popularity in video simulations mimicking various ambiences so you can create the ideal atmosphere while studying.
Classical music has long been thought to elevate mood and increase productivity – known as the Mozart effect – though this theory has been disproved in numerous studies. Your best choice for studying will depend upon both personal taste and your introvert or extrovert personality type.
If you want to stimulate gamma waves associated with higher IQ levels and rapid thinking, try listening to music that incorporates binaural rhythms. Spotify offers many tracks in this genre that may work, while for optimal results the ideal piece should be tailored specifically to your brain structure.
3. Relaxes the Body
Music can help to do this by relieving stress levels. Plus, listening to soothing tunes will allow you to focus more easily on completing tasks that make studying easier and more efficient overall.
Your putamen section of the brain reacts to music rhythms by producing dopamine, which is associated with feelings of reward and can make studying enjoyable and even addictive! For optimal results, select music without too much complexity or volume – too much noise could distract and prevent concentration from taking place.
If you need study music that will help relax and focus, try selecting an ambient mix that features nature sounds such as babbling brooks, waterfalls or rainfall. Also beneficial is listening to slow-tempo classical or new age music.
Your music app could use binaural beats to provide a soothing auditory environment, with waves reaching each ear at different frequencies, prompting your brain to combine these wavelengths into one coordinated wave that’s unique for you. Binaural beats also stimulate alpha, beta, and theta brain waves – providing relaxation, concentration and imaginative problem-solving benefits.
There are also pre-made playlists available on streaming platforms that provide the ideal study atmosphere, from coffee shop bookstore with jazz to cozy cabin ambience with raindrops and fireplace sounds, there is sure to be one that suits your mood perfectly!
4. Boosts Memory
Every student needs a’study playlist’ they listen to while completing assignments and exams, but if your selection of music does not support studying properly it could do more damage than good. According to Nikki Rickard of Swinburne Online Director of Psychology Nikki Rickard believes bombarding your brain with noise during study may actually distract more than help your progress.
She advises playing music both before and after studying rather than during, to maximize learning effectiveness and memory retention of information later. For an example of this type of study music she recommends Akasha System’s Echo Earth by its large sweeps evoking images of lush terrain which sharpen the mind for learning.
Studies that demonstrate how music helps us focus and relax can also provide evidence that it can strengthen memory. Researchers have discovered that the putamen, an area deep within your brain which responds to rhythmic music by secreting dopamine into the system, reacts positively when exposed to certain rhythms from music – this makes study sessions feel addictive while increasing motivation to complete work assignments.
However, lyrics in a song can often become a source of distraction. A study that investigated how people performed on an academic test under different conditions found that introvert students were more likely to find songs with lyrics too distracting – perhaps because these words compete with our short-term memory for cognitive resources resulting in reduced focus and resultantly, loss of concentration.
5. Makes Time Go Slower
Music can help when it comes to staying focused for extended periods, provided you choose the appropriate genre. Research suggests that listening to certain types of music helps enhance concentration and productivity – it provides distraction-free studying environments while relieving boredom which often arises while studying alone.
Based on your preferences, you can experiment with various genres of electronic music that are ideal for studying. Try techno with its complex rhythm and rapid beats or something more ambient like soundscape music – just avoid songs with lyrics as these could distract from studying!
Electronic music that is ideal for studying includes ambient house and trance music with its soothing ambience and slow pace; its purpose is to sooth your nerves, freeing up thoughts for exploration. Film or video game soundtracks may also offer suitable study music that’s low-key yet hypnotic.
Spotify also has several ambient electronic music playlists that are ideal for studying. New Age electronic music designed to be relaxing has no lyrics; while more ambient tracks with some funk add an interesting layer. Lofi hip hop also makes an excellent study companion as its low BPM usually doesn’t contain lyrics either.
Caribou’s Weightless is an excellent way to create a more focused soundscape, featuring electronic psychedelia, krautrock rhythms, and club-oriented dance music – an amazing blend that will definitely help keep your focus while writing that term paper or studying for that big exam! The album can provide the perfect hypnotic ambience.