Strap on the cans and supercharge your brain

Music has been a part of human culture for thousands of years and has been known to have a profound impact on our emotions and wellbeing.

Recent research has shown that music can also have a significant impact on productivity and creativity.

That’s why we’ve compiled playlists of the five music genres associated with supporting improved brain performance – check them out on Spotify.

In this piece, we’re exploring the evidence-based research and studies that demonstrate the power of music to improve productivity, creativity, and wellbeing, looking at five common genres.

Evidence-based research and studies

First, though, let’s ensure this is not snake oil.

We’ve provided a list of references on this topic at the end of the blog.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that music has a positive impact on productivity, creativity, and wellbeing.

A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that workers who listened to music while performing tasks had higher productivity levels than those who did not.

Another study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology found that listening to music improved creativity, particularly when it came to divergent thinking.

Music has been found to have a positive effect on mood and emotional wellbeing (one of the key reasons it’s included as one of your Daily Moodboosters in your Story of My Life Journal).

According to a study published in the Journal of Music Therapy, listening to music can help reduce anxiety and depression.

Another study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that listening to upbeat music can improve mood and increase happiness levels.

5 types of music to boost your brain

Ok, so, as Eminem said: let’s get down to business.

We’re going to discuss five different types of music that have been shown to be particularly effective in enhancing our performance and mental state: classical music, nature sounds, cinematic music, video game music, and music with a tempo between 50 and 80 beats-per-minute (BPM).

Classical music

Classical music has been found to have a positive impact on productivity and creativity, known as The Mozart Effect.

According to a study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, listening to classical music can improve cognitive function and help reduce stress levels.

The study found that participants who listened to classical music had improved spatial reasoning skills and were better able to retain information.

Nature music

Nature music, such as the sounds of birds or a babbling brook, has been found to have a calming effect on the mind and body.

A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that listening to nature sounds can help reduce stress levels and improve mood.

Another study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that exposure to nature sounds can increase cognitive functioning and creativity.

Cinematic music

Cinematic music, also known as film scores, has been found to have a positive impact on productivity and creativity.

According to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, listening to cinematic music can enhance cognitive processing and improve problem-solving abilities.

The study found that participants who listened to cinematic music while performing cognitive tasks had better results than those who did not.

The reasoning for that could be that this music has been developed to keep the audience engaged and not distracted, often despite being bombarded by action scenes.

So, you can use it to zip through your to-do list.

Video game music

Video game music has been found to have a positive impact on productivity and creativity.

This music serves a similar purpose as that of cinematic scores, and the impact on listeners could be the same.

According to a study published in the journal Psychology of Music, listening to video game music can improve focus and concentration levels.

The study found that participants who listened to video game music while performing cognitive tasks had better results than those who listened to other types of music or no music at all.

Music between 50 to 80 beats-per-minute (BPM)

Music with a tempo between 50 to 80 BPM, also known as the “alpha range,” has been found to have a positive impact on productivity and creativity.

According to a study published in the journal PLOS One, listening to music with a tempo in this range can improve focus and concentration levels.

The study found that participants who listened to music with a tempo between 50 to 80 BPM had better results on cognitive tasks than those who listened to music outside of this range.

The crescendo

Music has the power to improve productivity, creativity, and wellbeing – the evidence is there.

So, incorporating music into your daily routine can be a valuable tool to enhance your overall wellbeing and boost your productivity and creativity levels.

Strap on those cans!

References

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