Music and Studying: Do they go together?
Studies have shown that music produces several positive effects on a human’s body and brain. Music activates both the left and right brain at the same time, and the activation of both hemispheres can maximize learning and improve memory. Plenty of people swear by music as a helpful tool for studying and working. Others find it impossible to concentrate with any background noise at all. Music does offer a lot of benefits, including:
improved mood
increased motivation
improved memory
brain stimulation better management of pain and fatigue
With these in mind, it might seem fairly logical that music can improve your study sessions. But not everyone agrees. So what’s the deal — does it help or not?
According to Healthline, music mostly helps in indirect ways, but those benefits can still make a big difference:
It can motivate you.
If you’ve ever grappled with a long, exhausting night of homework, your resolve to keep studying may have started to flag long before you finished. Perhaps you promised yourself a reward to get through the study session, such as the latest episode of a show you like or your favorite takeout meal. Research from 2019 suggests music can activate the same reward centers in your brain as other things you enjoy. Rewarding yourself with your favorite music can provide the motivation you need to learn new information.
It improves your mood.
Music doesn’t just motivate you. It can also help reduce stress and promote a more positive mindset. Research suggests that a good mood generally improves your learning outcomes. You’ll likely have more success with studying and learning new material when you’re feeling good. Studying can be stressful, especially when you don’t entirely understand the subject material. If you feel overwhelmed or upset, putting on some music can help you relax and work more effectively.
It can increase focus.
According to a 2007 study from the Stanford University School of Medicine, music — classical music, specifically — can help your brain absorb and interpret new information more easily. The researchers found evidence to suggest that music can engage your brain in such a way that it trains it to pay better attention to events and make predictions about what might happen. How does this help you study? Well, if you struggle to make sense of new material, listening to music could make this process easier thanks to improved focus.
It could help you memorize new information.
According to a 2014 study, listening to classical music seemed to help older adults perform better on memory and processing tasks. These findings suggest certain types of music can help boost memorization abilities and other cognitive functions. Music helps stimulate your brain, similar to the way exercise helps stimulate your body. The more you exercise your muscles, the stronger they become. Simply put, giving your brain a cognitive workout could help strengthen it in a similar fashion.
Notwithstanding, music can also hurt in some ways. Let’s discuss how!
It can distract you.
When you feel sad or stressed, distracting yourself with your favorite tunes can help lift your spirits. But distraction probably isn’t what you’re looking for when you need to hit the books. If you’re trying to argue your position in a term paper or solve a difficult calculus equation, music that’s too loud or fast might just interrupt your thoughts and hinder your process.
It can have a negative impact on working memory.
Working memory refers to the information you use for problem-solving, learning, and other cognitive tasks. Most people can work with a few pieces of information at a time. A high working memory capacity means you can handle more material. Research suggests, however, that listening to music can reduce working memory capacity. If you already have a hard time manipulating multiple pieces of information, listening to music could make this process even more challenging.
It can lower reading comprehension.
Certain types of music, including fast music, loud music, and music with lyrics, can make it harder to understand and absorb reading material. Whether you’re looking at an evening of Victorian literature or some one-on-one time with your biology textbook, soft classical music with a slow tempo may be a better choice.
The Bottom Line
Choosing music carefully can help you maximize its benefits, but if you still struggle to focus, it may help to consider white noise or other audio options instead. At the end of the day – and that’s when most students study – it’s about finding your happy study place; a place you can effectively accomplish all your study goals. If you must listen to music, try out some YouTube study music at first - make it relevant music, make it background music, make it music that becomes a soundtrack to success.