How music affects the brain
Music accompanies us everywhere. We listen to music when we are sad or happy when we are dancing or relaxing. But it can be not only entertaining, but it can also increase our productivity. The main thing – the right use of it.
The mother effect
Scientists study many phenomena, and the effects of music on performance are no exception. One study of increased mental performance through music involved 79 students. They were divided into three groups:
- the first group took the test by listening to music by Mozart;
- the second group included songs from different styles of music, including classical music;
- the third group wrote the test in silence.
After checking the tests, it turned out that the first group had the best score. The group that took the test in silence also had a good score. The group that listened to a selection of different songs did worse than the others.
In addition, the Mozart effect was observed during studies with animals, microbes, and plants: when melodious compositions were played in the background, cows gave more milk, plants turned to the speaker, and the activity of microbes was more active.
The fact that Mozart’s compositions are music to improve brain function showed experiments with rats. Rats who listened to instrumental compositions after birth found their way out of the maze faster than their brothers who were raised in silence or to other sounds.
What music has the greatest impact on improving productivity
The search engine will offer you a dozen ready-made playlists of music for working at the computer when you ask for “pleasant music for work.” But you need to first figure out which songs will help improve your productivity for the day.
Basic criteria for choosing music to improve performance
Music with words interferes with concentration just as much as employee talk, so it’s better to choose instrumental songs. When listening to such music you will find it hard to get into the essence of the task. You will have to think about who could write my paper on WritingAPaper to overcome difficulties.
Moderate volume has a better effect on productivity than low volume. A high level of noise, on the contrary, prevents a person from perceiving incoming information and from processing it. It is necessary to listen to neutral music, because you will sing along to your favorite songs, and you will listen to unloved songs in a bad mood – in both cases, it will not help to concentrate.
Neuropsychologists recommend listening to music 10-15 minutes before work. It’s even possible to tailor listening to music to the specific most productive hours of the brain. In this case, the brain will release a dose of dopamine while listening and the person will get a sense of satisfaction. You will be in a better mood and want to work productively in silence without distractions.
Alternatives to songs are nature sounds and white noise. They mask ambient sounds and increase cognitive ability, desire to concentrate on work, and overall satisfaction with your surroundings. You can try, for example, listening to the sound of a mountain stream – it has no random harsh sounds and calms the nervous system.
Music from the Baroque era and songs at 60 bpm (beats per minute) work best for stimulating the brain in terms of tempo.
According to various studies:
- most surgeons listen to music during surgery;
- programmers complete tasks faster if they listen to music for work;
- background music for work significantly increases employee productivity and has a positive effect on their mood and well-being;
- medium volume music is suitable for creative work and improves memory.
Why is it necessary to always have headphones at hand
Music for work in the office is an escape from noisy colleagues. If you are constantly distracted by off topic conversations, headphones can help you focus on your tasks.
During monotonous work, you may even want to sleep. As it turns out, this happens to everyone! Therefore, it is recommended to listen to rhythmic music that will help to cheer up during monotonous activities.
Pleasant music at work in the office will raise your spirits and the task will seem to be less boring because when we listen to our favorite music, our brain produces dopamine, the hormone of pleasure.
During complex tasks, rhythmic music improves brain function. We catch the tempo and try to follow it. Accordingly, the solution comes to us faster. If you need help with your studies, you can find good services on reddit so that your assignment is up to code.
Representatives of the creative professions also draw inspiration from melodies. Sometimes to write a new article the journalist does not know where to start. He is pressed by the silence and turns on the music. Songs with words can further disrupt the writing of the next sentence, but classical music can even help to remember such necessary words.
If you need to get rid of stress, binaural rhythms are the way to go. All you have to do is put on headphones and adjust them so that different ears are exposed to slightly different frequencies. After 7 minutes of such listening, your brain synchronizes the two streams. As a result, you relax and calm down. Another feature of binaural rhythms is that they help the brain to synchronize the two hemispheres – your memory and mental abilities will improve and you will find it easier to cope with any task.
Does everyone need to listen to music while working?
There is no definite answer to this question. Because everyone is different, and no matter how many studies have been conducted by scientists, if the music prevents you from concentrating on the task, you can not listen to any pop, rock, or classical compositions. But checking your productivity while listening to different kinds of music is worth it, and our Checkiant time tracker will help you do just that.
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