Music Can Be Beneficial When Studying
It has been stated that approximately 75% of individuals listen to music while they’re studying or doing homework. But is it helpful or harmful? Does it cause emotional stress or decrease it? Stress and anxiety can lead to lots of physiological ailments such as migraines, increased blood pressure levels, ulcers, and other types of maladies. Music is definitely an emotional expression that can cause either positive or negative emotional and physical changes to the human body. Because stress can negatively affect learning, the question is “will music decrease the stress that studying may cause, or will it increase it?”
Numerous studies have shown that music affects our mental state and stress levels. Music is occasionally used to help recovery resulting from medical ailments and can reduce an individual’s pulse rate and blood pressure levels, producing a relaxation effect. So at first glance it might appear that music can make studying less stressful and be beneficial, boosting the ability to learn. Yet, whether or not this is true is determined by a number of factors as you will see.
As it turns out, the more difficult the subject a person is studying, the more likely it will be that the music will be disruptive to the learning process. At the same time, for topics that are a lot less demanding, music may very well provide mental stimulation, with the result being a beneficial learning experience. And to benefit the music experience even more, take a look at these products.
Whether music affects learning in a good way or bad way also depends on the sort of music listened to and the individuality of the person. Music with a faster tempo or beat demands a lot more concentration from the person doing the studying, which in turn can raise the heart rate and BP (blood pressure) levels. However, music with a slower tempo can decrease an individual’s heart rate, which can lead to a mental state that’s too much too calm for a productive study session.
Loud music can make it a great deal more difficult to focus as well. But if the music is too soft, a person may put forth more effort into actually hearing the music, which in turn can also result in a loss of concentration. Ideally, the volume will be middle of the road, not too soft and not too loud, but somewhere in between. The key the music is in can also make a difference. Music written in a major key is generally more upbeat, while music written in a minor key is generally more depressing. For study or learning purposes, it is best to enjoy music that’s in a major key as opposed to a minor key, and at mid volume and tempo.
The words to the song are yet another consideration, but just might be the worst facet of the music when it comes to learning. When an individual is trying to study or learn, while at the same time listening to the lyrics of the music, the same exact regions of the human brain are trying to process two things at the same time. Research shows that studiers are most distracted when they play music they’ve heard many times before.
Another factor concerns a person’s temperament. Introverts need lesser stimulation while extroverts desire more. Extroverts often benefit from the added stimulation that music provides while an introvert’s train of thought might be more easily disrupted.
As we pointed out previously, there are many variables that determine if music will be helpful or detrimental when studying. The use of background music while learning is a personal thing, and what’s good for one individual might be harmful for another. To determine if music works for you personally requires experimenting. So have at it.