Listening to music releases dopamine – this is one of the happy ‘feel good’ chemicals that your brain sends into your system while you listen to / have a boogie to music. This boosts your mood and makes you feel optimistic.
Listening to the kind of music you hear when you’re clubbing increases your beta-endorphin levels due to its strong rhythmic beat and engagement with motor regions of your brain.
The Limbic system, which is involved in processing emotions and controlling memory ‘lights up’ when your ears perceive music. The chills you feel when you hear a particularly moving piece of music may be the result of dopamine - a neurotransmitter that tiggers sensation of pleasure and well-being.
How does rhythm affect your mood?
Upbeat music with a fast tempo can stimulate the release of dopamine in your brain, which can create of sense of happiness and pleasure. Conversely, slow, calming music can stimulate the release of oxytocin – this creates a sense of calm and relaxation. Music with a fast tempo can create excitement and energy.
What mood does rhythm create?
Not only does a beat make you want to tap your feet or have a full on boogie. Rhythm is more than just a physical sensation – studies have shown that certain rhythms can have an energising effect on our mood, while others can be calming or meditative effect.
The best type of music to listen to for optimal focus and productivity is……….
……music that affects your focus because it’s arousing. Anything that is arousing or stimulating captures our attention.
Music has certain characteristics that can make it more or less stimulating. These characteristics include:
· Complexity – Complex music, like classical or experimental music is more stimulating than music with simple melodies or harmonies.
· Lyrics – Vocals in a song can also take up extra resources because of the language processing they require compared to instrumental music.
· Tempo - Songs with more beats per minute (BPM) have more ‘auditory’ units for your brain to process per minute, which makes music with a high BPM more stimulating.
· Volume - Music played at a high volume is more distracting. But if you’re loving the beats, go for it – pump it up to top volume.
· Familiarity - Try to steer clear of songs you either strongly like or strongly dislike, because music you’re familiar with can also take up your additional resources.
Based on the characteristics above, music you can listen to while working should be simple – free of lyrics featuring very few beats per minute, be played at a low volume and music you don’t feel strongly about.
Apparently, the best way to focus is to turn the music off. I don’t know about you, but when I listen to music that puts a smile on my face and makes me feel excited about when I can go to a party, it stimulates me in the right way. It makes me excited about getting through my to do list: e.g. everyday life stuff or getting through an important piece of work at my job, when I’m employed by a company e.g. myself working at Lloyds Banking Group’s headquarters for 10 years – I felt that producing good quality writing would improve my colleague’s productivity by putting them in a good mood about their work. I always had music playing on my Walkman that made me tap my feet etc, plus it made me feel good because the endorphins rushed through my body.
If music makes you feel happy and less lonely to do your housework, cook for yourself and or your family, to do remote working – crack on with letting yourself listen to music.
Letting your feet and head have a boogie while you’re being productive is a great way to spend your time. It means you’ll feel happy to be alive – go you!
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