Over the years, there has been many debates and studies done to found out whether or not music has a positive impact on studying. Honestly, there isn’t a clear yes or no answer. While some students may find it distracting, some find it useful! 

Keep reading to find out five reasons why listening to music while studying can be beneficial.   

1.  Music can enhance your focus

Listening to music while studying can help you focus, as it can mask any background noise or distractions.

For example, there may be times where you are studying in a busy library or noisy café. Even still, you could be studying at home while your family is actively watching a movie. It can be really difficult to focus in those environments! Putting on some headphones and listening to some calming music can help block out the chaos that is happening around you and keep you in the zone.

Also, if you’re particularly tired during a study session, listening to music can help keep you attentive. Of course, if you’re too tired you should just allow yourself to rest, but sometimes, you just need to get work done! 

2.      It can help keep you motivated

It’s not easy to maintain motivation for your studies. Particularly as you reach the end of a term or semester, your motivation might be at an all-time low. Perhaps hitting play on your favourite playlist is just what you need to get you started.

Listening to music that you enjoy can increase your motivation and ability to engage with your studies. The more engrossed you are during a study session, the more likely you will remember the content you revised later. You’re also more likely to stay studying for longer!

3.      It helps improve your memory

It has been found that music can help your brain absorb new information more easily and retain it for longer periods. Perhaps you can test this theory yourself?

Dr Masha Godkin, a professor at National University, expressed that “Music activates both the left and right brain at the same time, and the activation of both hemispheres can maximize learning and improve memory.”

Music has also been shown to activate various regions of the brain involved in memory, such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. When these areas are stimulated, it can enhance the encoding and retrieval of information, thus improving memory. Cool right? 

You might have also heard about the Mozart effect. This is the theory that states that listening to Mozart's music can increase your general intelligence, or IQ – it was concluded through a study completed in 1993. Of course – this doesn’t mean you need to play one of Mozart’s Sonatas each time you study! Any classical music can have a similar effect.

4.      It can reduce stress

Studying can be very stressful, especially in times where you may have lots of assignments due, or during exam season. Playing some music whilst you study can actually help relax you!

In study conducted in 2013, researchers investigated the psychological effects that 60 female volunteers experienced while listening to various auditory stimuli. They exposed participants to either relaxing music, the sounds of rippling water, or no sound while undergoing a psychological stress test. The findings suggested that listening to relaxing music positively impacted both psychological and physiological responses, particularly in terms of hormone levels, compared to the other auditory stimuli or no sound.

5.      Music can stimulate your creativity

Certain types of music, such as instrumental or ambient music, can stimulate creativity and divergent thinking. This can be beneficial for tasks that require innovative problem-solving or brainstorming.

Hopefully you learnt some interesting facts about music through this article! Of course, there are also downsides of listening to music while studying too, but it’s up to you to know what type of study environment you work best in.