Tell me honestly!
Stress, anxiety and depression, all are the ramifications of the competition that students face.
Right?
Now, what student's mostly think?
"Forget about these, we got Music!"
But, have you ever wondered what really happens when you listen to music while studying?
Why it soothes our body, and relaxes our mind and muscles?
How we become a little more focused, our memory retention gets increased, and our learning becomes better?
And, does music works for every student?
To answer these, first let’s understand what really causes anxiety?
According to a study blog by the Harvard Medical School, many factors can contribute anxiety among students including, sleep disorder, excess caffeine intake, loneliness, school stress, study disengagement, pulling all-nighters and so forth.
What’s your reason for stress? Tell us in the comment section and we’ll help you get over with it.
Now, students could have ‘n’ number of reasons for anxiety and ‘n’ number of ways to avoid it.
Right!
Now, let’s talk particularly about music and how music could help students while studying?
Heard about dopamine????
No, it’s not a bomb, it’s the hormone that helps in relieving anxiety and depression.
Now, guess what?
Studies shows that music can actually boost the production of this hormone.
According to an article by SCL Health, “when a subject listens to music that gives them the chills, it triggers a release of dopamine to the brain.”
Got it!
It’s simple right, you need dopamine and music provides it, easy.
Now music could help you out with anxiety or depression or whatever problem you’re facing. Okay!
But does listening to music helps students while studying?
Let’s see what United States National Academy of Science have to say.
“Results demonstrate that music can act as a reward driving learning.”
I don't think we need to discuss this further. Music does helps students while studying.
Now let’s find out if music helps to relax our mind and body?
Actually, music is processed directly by the amygdala, which is the part of the brain involved in mood and emotions.
Some of the music can boost memory and increase alertness. Also, background music may improve focus on a task by providing motivation and improving mood.
Do you know what researchers at Stanford University have to say about the benefits of music?
“Listening to music seems to be able to change brain functioning to the same extent as meditation.”
Still got doubts?
Let’s try to understand this better.
Studies indicate that music around 60 beats per minute causes the brain to synchronize with the beat causing alpha brainwaves. This alpha brainwave is what is present when we are relaxed.
There’s one more!
A research finding by the University of Nevada, Reno indicates that, “Faster music can make you feel more alert and concentrate better. Upbeat music can make you feel more optimistic and positive about life. A slower tempo can quiet your mind and relax your muscles, making you feel soothed while releasing the stress of the day.”
Got it now!
Music helps students to relieve anxiety, relaxes their mind and body, and also helps while studying.
You must be jumping to your favourite playlist right away, right?
WAIT, what about memory retention? Will music help with that?
It’s popular that music wouldn’t work when you are trying to memorize formulas or anything.
It’s not true!
See what study by Harvard Medical School have to say on the use of Music for memory retention -
“Two recent studies—one in the United States and the other in Japan—found that music doesn't just help us retrieve stored memories, it also helps us lay down new ones.”
So, what you understood out of it?
Music does help a lot in memory retention.
Let’s try an example.
Suppose you’re listening to a particular kind of music, say classical, while memorizing all the formulas of Physics.
Now in the exam hall, if you get stuck and trying hard to remember a particular formula then, you just need to remember that piece of music you were listening to at that time.
It’s not a presumption!
See what an article by John Hopkins Medicine have to say about this.
“Reach for familiar music, especially if it stems from the same time period that you are trying to recall.”
See, just remember to set a particular kind of music to a particular subject or concept, and a whole different kind of music to another subject or concept.
Note: - One thing of utmost importance here is that not every music works for everyone. For some, classical music would work best, whereas for some, rock or jazz or western, instrumental would work. You need to pick for works best for you.
That’s why John Hopkins Medicine further added in their article that, “Pay attention to how you react to different forms of music, and pick the kind that works for you. What helps one person concentrate might be distracting to someone else, and what helps one person unwind might make another person jumpy.”
Now students, what we have learned so far?
Music –
1. Relieves stress and anxiety
2. Helps while studying
3. Relaxes mind and body
4. Improves memory retention
Now, here’s the mindboggling tip for you!
Music can even cure PAIN!
That’s insane right!
But it’s true.
There are lot of research papers around, but let’s try to understand this in a simpler way.
When you’re hurt, say you have a broken ankle, or wrist pain or headache or anything, what’s the most basic thing that happens to your body at that time?
Your blood pressure gets high!
Right???
Now at that time, music lowers your blood pressure, relaxes your muscles, and eases your muscle tension.
Wait, we got evidence!
USA Today, in 2013, published an article stating that, “Music can meaningfully reduce the perceived intensity of pain, especially in geriatric care, intensive care, or palliative medicine”
Similarly, The National Centre for Biotechnology Information of United States mentioned the same in a case study referring that, “A large number of studies have provided considerable evidence that music can decrease pain levels. Pain relief may occur by the release of endorphins or changes in catecholamine levels or, as patients are distracted by memories away from their pain.”
That’s how music could help you in pain and lets you continue studies.
Wrapping it all up!
Now students, music has a lot of benefits such as it relieves our stress, relaxes our mind and body, helps while studying, improves memory retention, and cures pain.
But it doesn’t mean that listening to Ed Sheeran and Armaan Malik would improve your scorecard.
Study hard, study smarter, and start your preparation from the beginning!
If you liked this blog, kindly share it among your friends to help them too!
To get more such informative blogs directly via email, you can provide your mailing address in the comment section.
Get the best books to prepare for your exams directly from here.
