How Does Music Affect Your Study Habits

Many students have different opinions on whether listening to music is effective or not. Some would say it does help them absorb the information better and help them perform better in school. While others would argue that it is a distraction. So how does music affect your study habits?

To understand, let us look at the pros and cons of listening to music while studying and try to weigh whether it is helpful or not.

It Can Motivate You

Rewarding yourself is a great motivator that helps you push yourself to accomplish a task. When you accomplish something you get a sense of happiness which in turn fuels your drive. 

According to a study back in 2019, this feeling is also triggered when you listen to music. It is the reason why you feel motivated every time you try to listen to your favorite music during study breaks.

Helps Set The Mood

Music is not just a motivator but it also helps in reducing stress and creates a more conducive environment for studying. Various research suggests that a person in a good mood has better learning outcomes than those who are not. They are able to absorb the information better and study more effectively. Stress is the number one enemy of many college students, and listening to music reduces it to a more manageable level.

Creates Focus

Based on the study done at Stanford University School Of Medicine back in 2007, listening to classical music allows your brain to process information more easily. 

According to the research, music allows your brain to stay focused and improve your reasoning skills. These are vital characteristics you need to study effectively.

It is not that you will get the answers from thin air when you listen to music. But it would allow you to create better judgment based on the information you have learned. This can help you justify whether you have the correct answer or not.

Improves Your Memorization Skills

A study conducted in 2014 showed that people who listen to classical music perform better on their processing and memory tasks. Music stimulates your brain the same way exercise does to your body. It allows the brain to improve its cognitive function enabling you to memorize things better.

Now we have talked about the pros of listening to music, let us go over the cons.

Causes Distraction

Some people find it distracting if they listen to music while studying. Often, you use music when you want to distract yourself from things that make you sad. But being a distraction is not good when you are studying, especially if you are working on something that requires your utmost attention.

Negatively Affects Your Working Memory

So what is working memory? When you try to remember the steps in solving a math equation or recalling a sequence of events, you use your working memory. It refers to the information you use when you solve problems and do other cognitive tasks. 

People with high working memory can handle more information at a given time and vice versa. So if you are someone who has trouble trying to process multiple things all at the same time, then listening to music would not be your cup of tea.

Affects Your Reading Comprehension Ability

Fast and loud music with lyrics can make it harder for a student to absorb information from reading. Your attention tends to focus more on the song rather than what you are reading, therefore, affecting your comprehension.

So how does music affect your study habits? The answer to that depends on the person and the music they are listening to. Music that is loud, fast-paced, and has lyrics is not advised when studying as it is proven to be more distracting than helpful.

If you want to create a more relaxing vibe, then better opt for slow and instrumental music. This is better suited for studying as it creates a more study-friendly environment. 

Music is not limited to songs, as there are other types of sounds that are proven helpful when studying. Nature sounds, white noise, and binaural beats are some of the sounds that can help you perform better in class.