Can Music Help You Study and Focus?

Listen. What’s that in the background? Is it rock, country or classical music? Did you know that certain types of music can help you focus?

March is Music in Our Schools Month, which was created to increase awareness of the importance of music in student’s lives.

“Music activates both the left and right brain at the same time, and the activation of both hemispheres can maximize learning and improve memory,” explained Dr. Masha Godkin, a professor in the Department of Marriage and Family Sciences at NCU.  “Music has the potential to take a person from the Beta brain wave state to deeper Alpha, and then Theta brain wave states, depending on the music.”

According to Godkin, classical music, as well as meditation music with added technology like brain entrainment technology, is ideal study music for concentration. One reason this genre works well is that there are no lyrics to distract you.

Music likely helps learning because it has a profound effect on our mood, blood pressure and heart rate. For the best music to focus and study, choose tunes that keep you awake but don’t cause you to start tapping your body to the beat.

Instead of relying on the radio or a random mix on Pandora or Spotify, it can help to create a playlist of the best study music for concentration. With a best study music playlist, you can plan a set amount of uninterrupted music, which serves as a built-in timer for studying. When the music is up, you’ve earned a break.

Everyone’s taste in music is different, but when it comes to creating a best study music playlist, here are some genres and tips to consider:

• Go Classical: You may not want to go to a symphony concert, but the soothing sounds of classical orchestra music seems to increase mood and productivity, which makes it great for studying.

• Consider Tempo: Music with 60-70 beats per minute like Beethoven’s Fur Elise appears to help students study longer and retain more information.

• Spa Music: Ambient sounds that you would expect to hear on a soundtrack during a spa treatment can help you relax.

• Nature Sounds: Like ambient music, the sounds of babbling brooks, birds, wind and rain are very calming and make great background noise.

• Electronic Music: New Age and ambient house music are a good choice for those who don’t like classical.

• Sound Control: The volume of your study music is key. Remember, it’s supposed to be in the background.

We would love to know what’s on your best study music playlist. Please comment here and share the music with your fellow NCU students that you’ve found to be good study music for concentration!

Source:  Northcentral University