Many students listen to music while they study. It seems like normality now, their mind starts to wander or they get bored without music. Everything has its downsides, even music but we can learn from these downsides to change the way we use music to help us study. In this blog post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of studying with music and how we can take advantage of what’s now a necessity for most, in the present-day.
The Upsides
Of course, it is best to study in silent conditions, when concentration levels are highest, but there are still advantages to listening to music while studying:
- Music increases dopamine levels in the brain, helping students counteract stress and anxiety.
- Music can stimulate students to study when they’re tired and for longer periods.
- Tranquil music creates a calm and soothing atmosphere, making studying seem more pleasant.
The Downsides
Opposingly, research has found that music can impair cognitive function:
- Listening to music while studying can be very addicting, making students feel deprived and reducing their performance when it comes to silent exam conditions.
- When listening to music, regions of the brain that are responsible for memorisation and needed for focus, are instead being drained by processing the sounds.
- Apart from arousing positivity, music can lower mood and therefore productivity, if depressing.
Developing Better Habits
So, there are two opposing sides to listening to music while studying. Now it’s our job to make sure the benefits outweigh the negatives. How? The simple answer: by changing the type and volume of music we listen to. Now for a slightly more scientific answer.
A study carried out in 2002 by Hallman, Price and Katsarou involved testing the impact of different music types on the arithmetic and performance of children aged between ten and twelve. The results showed that there were significant improvements when listening to soothing music compared to aggressive music in both arithmetic and performance tests. Similarly, the study also revealed that soft and slow music served better results than loud and fast music. In essence, the type and volume of music made key contributions to how distracting the music was.
In addition to this, I’ve personally found that songs without lyrics and songs that aren’t depressing can also contribute to a better learning environment.
To give an idea of what to listen to while studying, here are some options:
- Classical music (particularly piano pieces)
- Video game soundtracks (yes, who knew they would come in handy for studying)
- Instrumental music
- Electronic music
- Nature sounds
And why not try out my Spotify study playlist as a soothing backdrop for your studies?
Conclusion
The joy and relief when you realise that you can still listen to music and study. Just make sure that you stick to the soft and soothing kind of course. It’s also important to make sure you don’t get distracted by having to change the music. It’s better to stick all your songs in a playlist or put a song on loop.
Do you have any tips on how you change the way you study with music or the type of tracks that work for you? Comment down below!
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