During what seem like endless hours of studying I always liked to throw on music to make it go by a little easier. I was never sure if it actually was making it go by easier or simply making it seem as though it was, This made me curious so I decided to look a little more into it; whether or not music actually helps you concentrate.

Well, Tech Times conducted a randomized study where 21 randomly picked college students took a brain scan while listening to different selected songs. It turns out, when you listen to a song of choice or your favorite genre, the part of your brain called the default mode network becomes more active. This part of the brain controls how humans switch between what’s going on around them and their self thoughts. When they tested the students with other songs, then the genre that they liked, that part of the brain always became more active.

I found this really interesting. Listening to music actually can help as long as you like what you are listening to. If you are listening to a bad song, however, it can be extremely distracting. I think it’s especially interesting how there isn’t a certain type of music that’s better than another, it’s strictly up to personal preference.

I think the best type of music for me to do work to is definitely EDM without words or anything. I like hip-hop and rap but during work it can be too much and get distracting.

Music also helps improve mood which results in better productivity. Dr. Lesiuk did a study on how music helps workplace performance. She found that workers who listened to music completed tasks more quickly and came up with better ideas than those who didn’t, based on their change in mood.

So next time I’m writing one of these blogs I’ll throw on my favorite song on SoundCloud, put on my headphones, and zone in to my work. What is your favorite song to study to?