Many students are known to have music playing as background noise as they study or write their essays. The motivation may not be so much that they all believe that music will help them study better, it is to create some environment that the mind does not wander off to thoughts. However, music for studying can be so positively impactful on your overall academic performance. Here is how.
The Mozart Effect
Towards the end of the 20th century, researchers came up with a theory claiming that lending an ear to classical music while studying makes one smarter and mentally healthier. You can find articles on https://customessayorder.com/ on the research conducted by Dr. Gordon Shaw on spital brain capacity and dubbed this as the Mozart effect. Theoretically, it was alleged that listening to classical music made you more intelligent because the developed brain activity model resembled classical musical notes. This would later be dismissed as a myth for lack of evidence that IQ levels rose with listening to Mozart. However, students have reported that listening to classical music as background studying music does help maintain a serene environment and they study better in such.
Helps you release stress
Diehard listeners of music have higher levels of Dopamine hormone. This a neurotransmitter that makes you feel happier and more excited. Studies have shown that students are more productive and better at problem-solving when they are not burdened with stress and anxiety by reducing Cortisol levels. For that reason, students are increasingly listening to relaxing music during study time as a form of therapy to improve their moods. Having music in the background also helps you study for longer because you can endure the process. If you are grumpy and finding it difficult to study, try listening to some music while at it and observe a difference.
Helps you focus more
The most interesting effect of listening to music when reading is that it stimulates and activates the right and left hemispheres of the brain simultaneously. This actively engages the brain to pay attention and is likely to retain whatever information it is fed at that time. This, as a result, promotes a good memory of the contents studied. Research conducted on students who were used to study with music on reported that it’s hard for them to focus on their studies when they eliminated the music. Simon, a mental wellness expert, and writer at https://essaykitchen.net/dissertation/ concurs with these findings saying it all boils down to one’s studying habits. Additionally, some music melodies are said to impact memory more and the thought of the particular music makes you remember. If you are struggling with focus and concentration, try including music to your study time.
Improves your performance
Because of the improved focus and concentration, it is only natural that your academic performance will be improved. More than this, the best music for studying fosters memory and text retrieval in the brain making you access material required during a test or exam. Additionally, being that you are less stressed, you are calm and composed even in high-pressure situations which would otherwise affect your performance. The rate of productivity for physical activities also increases while listening to music. You are likely to accomplish more when you have your favorite music playing as you tackle a task. When you are feeling slumped or like you are making little to no progress, try listening to music simultaneously because music does help you study. It will make a difference in your performance.
Eliminates distractions
Listening to music as you study is quite effective in blocking other distractions that may hinder learning. It is unlikely that your attention will be drawn to shuffling feet, or a friend glued to the tv or even social media. This is more effective when you wear your noise-canceling headphones and direct your energy to study. Most often, students will do this just so they can get the moment to themselves and concentrate on what they are studying. This technique is quite effective and with little to no distractions, studying is optimized, and the higher the chances of information retention.
Fosters better study habits
Any activity done repeatedly for a while can easily become a habit. When you develop a routine of canceling everything else but music, you get used to the positive outcome of that. For that reason, you will keep doing it over and over and this will soon be the preferred way for you to study. The routine will soon be a habit and you will do everything possible to uphold that habit. This may not necessarily be brought about by music itself but that it is part of your routine it remains key to the whole routine. Because you enjoy listening to relaxing music while studying, you are likely to turn it on and this will probably make you dedicate more time to study and revision. When you link the positive effects of the two, the whole matrix is more enticing because your grades improve.
The type of music matters
A study conducted at the University of Phoenix showed that listening to music with lyrics was more distracting while studying than helpful. The goal is not to reduce efficiency but increase it. For that reason, you want to have calm and soothing music in the background. Some students reported that they even preferred instrumental music because they were not tempted to sing along to that. Avoid genres that are rigorous and distracting like hardcore rock and hip-hop music genres. The best music for studying is presumably classical music. Even though the Mozart effect was not backed with evidence for improved IQ, listening to classical music remains preferred as background music for how calm it is and its ability to create a study worthy ambiance.
Improves brain activity
The promise of improved cognitive activity to a student is like waving a candy bar to a child. Fortunately, this is not an empty promise. Music does indeed improve how your brain functions and processes different scenarios presented to it. Some students cannot concentrate at all without some background music as they study because their thoughts wander around. Articles on https://essaywritingservice.ca reported that music helps center brain activity and focus is directed to the immediate task that requires attention. Additionally, because of an improved emotional state, your brain activity is normalized and in general healthier. When your brain function is optimized. Goes without saying that your studies can only get better.
Does listening to music help you study better than it distracts? According to various researches, the answer is yes. However, this is largely influenced by your intervention and you have to approach it as a means to the goal. Music can be used for whatever purpose you intend it for and for a student, there is a promise of better concentration and better grades and that is always a path worth taking.

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.