Is studying with music a good idea?

There are two types of people: those who cannot study without music and those who cannot study while listening to music. Is one right and one wrong? Is music disruptive or can it actually be conducive to studying?

Why study with music?

Putting on your headphones and listening to music that makes you feel good before you start studying can help you immerse yourself in your own world, which can help your concentration. In addition, the use of headphones can ensure that no outside noise disturbs you. This means that you can increase your focus on your learning.

The benefits of of studying while listening to music

It is said that listening to music releases dopamine (the famous neurotransmitter that makes you feel happy). Therefore, if you listen to music while studying, your brain thinks of this task as something pleasant. So you become happy to be studying!

In addition, music helps you relax, so it will decrease stress and anxiety!

The Happy creativity study showed that happy music promotes productivity and creativity. Thus, study participants who listened to happy music were more creative. In contrast, participants who performed the same task in a quiet environment were less creative. Therefore, one of the most important points seems to be the mood the music leaves you in. The happier you are learning, the more creative and productive you are.

Another study looked at the effect of background classical music during lectures on students and concluded that music made students more receptive to information.

The negative effects of studying while listening to music

Studying or working while listening to music is not for everyone. The music might bother some people or cause them to lose focus. This might be because they are focusing on the music rather than their work. Some studies concluded that people feel more negative towards music if:

• They don’t like music
• The music they’re listening to is associated with a painful memory
• The volume is too loud
• There are a lot of words

• So, what type of music is best when studying?

  You learn best when listening to music that you like and that makes you happy. However, you should also consider the following points when picking what to listen to:
  
  To reduce distractions, favour music without words. For example, instrumental music allows you to concentrate the best. If there are lyrics, your brain will automatically focus on them, which forces the brain to perform two tasks, which is counterproductive when revising. This type of music can be particularly troublesome for language learning.
  
  You should avoid music that’s too fast and with too much bass as this can cause stress. Instead, calm and slow music is recommended. Do not put the music too loud, it is better to put it in the background. Otherwise, you can’t hear yourself think!
  
  Classical music fits all of the criteria! But you can also listen to nature sounds, pop (only if it’s not too fast!), and relaxation music.
  
  During your breaks, you can listen to your favourite songs and crank up the volume, maybe even dance a little! This way, you get your body moving and give your brain a break.
  
  Whether to study with music or not is different for everyone. But, if you do like to listen to music whilst studying, you should avoid any music that could distract you or make you stressed. It's up to you to find the best music for your own studies or no music at all!
  
  You can even do both! You can listen to music whilst studying something you find easy and then work in silence when you need to concentrate. It's up to you to find the most effective method.
  
  If you like listening to lofi music, which sounds calm and a bit retro but also modern, you should listen to this playlist: Jazz for Study
  
  If you like listening to the sounds of nature then check out this playlist: Mozart for Study