Many students listen to music, as well as people who work from home, or people who have any job that allows them to do so. Eyes absorb information while the ears absorb tunes used to help relax students or help them get in the groove of studying. If you’ve ever studied with music, you’ve probably felt irritated when music is just too much for studying, distracting you from the task at hand. Keep reading to learn more about whether or not listening to music is good to do while you’re studying. For a college catering service that delivers fresh and tasty food to your fraternity or sorority, contact Upper Crust Food Service today.
There Are A Few Variables
Music can have both positive and negative effects on studying, depending on two things: the student and the music. Every student has a unique method of studying, and thus, a preferred environment to be in. Some students like to study in complete silence and head to the basement of the library to find the peace and quiet they yearn for. They may be distracted by the slightest noise, whether it be a dog barking, someone sneezing, or the sound of someone unlocking their car. Other students, however, can’t study unless they are able to shut the world out with wall-shaking music. Most students, however, are someone in between, vibing out to their favorite study playlist while they sit at home or in a library.
For Starters, It Puts Us In Better Mood
Listening to music triggers the release of dopamine in our brains. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of happiness and excitement. Studies have found that people may be better at solving problems when they are in a positive mood compared to when they are in a negative or neutral mood. While it may largely depend on the type of music you listen to, music can be relaxing, helping students with stress and anxiety, thus leading students to study more efficiently.
It Helps Reduce Text Anxiety
Anxiety can become crippling, acting as a blockade between students and their homework, or the test that they are preparing for. Music can reduce some student’s levels of stress, but it doesn’t work for everyone. A study done by Cambridge University showed that hip-hop music provides an uplifting effect on its listeners that can help them accept, manage, and deal better with mental health issues. Since there are many genres of rap, you may need to do some research first to find out what suits your style.
It Can Help You Focus More
Rather than distracting students, a Stanford study found that music can help move the brain to pay attention. researchers involved in the study found that music composition from the 1800s engages the areas of the brain involved with paying attention, making predictions, and updating the event in memory. Music choice, however, is influential in brain processing. One of the most compelling reasons to listen to music during a study session is because it helps improve cognitive performance.
Music helps your brain function, enhancing performance on cognitive tasks. If you want to improve brain performance while studying, evidence shows that you must first improve your emotional state bu listening to music that you enjoy.
Drawbacks of Listening to Music While Studying
There is no denying that music is a distraction, and while music may be relaxing for some, music can be especially distracting for others. Even soft music with loads of lyrics can distract students, leading them to absorb less information. A textbook or online module Is trying to help you understand a critical phase in your study while some artist fills your ears with their voice. It is a bit of a clash, to say the least. Furthermore, music appears to be more distracting for people who are introverts than for people who are extrovert, most likely because introverts are more easily overstimulated.
Research is fairly clear that when there is music in the background of wherever we are studying, and especially music with vocals, our working memory gets worse. Reading comprehension decreases when people listen to music with lyrics.
To Sum it Up
You will probably be fins listening to music while you study, but there are some things to keep in mind while doing so:
- Your music should put you in a good mood
- It shouldn’t be too fast or too loud
- Make sure your music isn’t too wordy
We hope this helps you study a bit more wisely in the future — whatever that may look like — or at least helps you better prepare for your study sessions! Upper Crust Food Service is your fraternity’s’ and sorority’s go-to food catering service, creating fresh, healthy, and nutritious meals for students in Greek life. Learn more about Upper Crust by taking a look at our mission, our menus, or feel free to give us a call today!