The simple answer is…yes!
Although everyone is different, and many may want to concentrate in silence rather than with music. Several studies conducted all over the world have shown that music produces several positive effects on the human body and brain. Music has been proven to help ease the stress of students, improve performance, and improve focus as well as brain functions. The benefits of music are just about endless!
As someone who grew up with music and playing an instrument, music holds a very big place in my heart. Since I have played the violin from a very young age, I absolutely love classical and instrumental music. I also enjoy listening to many different music genres like R&B, Pop, Jazz, Alternative, Rock, Hip-Hop and Indie, just to name a few.
Listening to music has been shown to activate both the left and right brain at the same time which helps maximize learning as well as improve memory. Music helps reduce stress by decreasing blood pressure, heart rate, and excited levels. This is most accurate when listening to slower and soothing songs. Many use music as an outlet to process emotions when feeling overwhelmed or anxious. So, if your classes this semester have you a little stressed out, you may want to try putting on some music to either help you concentrate or keep all that stress to a minimum.
Music helps people perform better in high-pressure situations. Events of high pressure could be either a big exam or a sports tournament or game. Athletes have even said that a little music therapy helps if they end up with an injury. It reduces the perceived intensity of pain. Listening to music serves as a relaxation tactic due to it being able to be used to lower blood pressure, increase muscle tension, and increase attention span when doing certain tasks or activities.
A study conducted by Stanford found that music engages the area of the brain involved with paying attention, making predictions or inferences, and making memories. Studies also found benefits in studying while listening to composers like Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven. Classical music from these composers can help students categorize information which is especially useful to students or anyone when it comes to retaining information. The music being listened to can also be used just as white noise or background music. Background music can help enhance performances in cognitive tasks. Studies also show that those who have musical training early on in life, are less likely to suffer from Dementia or Alzheimer’s later in life.
Numerous studies have linked music to emotions and memory. As shown before, music relates to memory. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to memorize lyrics to some of your favorite songs? This occurs because our brains look for patterns that are easier for us to recall or understand. I know I resort to music no matter what emotions I am feeling. Sad songs for a gloomy day. Happy and upbeat songs for a good day. And so on and so forth. Overall, the best music for studying is the types that are slow and soothing, like classical or instrumental music, for example.
Remember, if you’re having a stressful day, take some time for yourself to relax, and maybe put on some jams to help ease all that stress.