Music as a mental stimulant for students

by Beatriz Lourenço

One of the biggest difficulties that we students face in academic life is being able to concentrate and maintain focus for a long time, especially in the current period, where we find ourselves confined to our homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Isolated from society, it is difficult to find escape valves for problems and the stress level tend to increase exponentially, resulting in the emergence or worsening of anxiety and increasing difficulty in maintaining concentration. Thus, we understand the need to find ways to adapt ourselves to this new reality and music can be a strong ally, both as a student stimulant and as a therapeutic factor, since it is one of the most comprehensive and adaptable forms of art.

Numerous studies have been carried out by renowned universities around the world with the aim of evaluating the cognitive value of music during the routine of studies. One of these studies, carried out in France by the University of Caen, brought together students from 249 universities that were divided into two groups, both with the same level of intellect. The two groups had the task of attending a lecture and then answering a test based on their understanding of the topic addressed. The results showed that students who listened to music while watching the lecture had greater attention and performance than those who did not listen to music.

According to the psychologist Emma Gray, in an interview with the British newspaper Metro, “the melody and tonal scale in classical songs, such as ‘Fur Elise’ by Beethoven (60 to 70 beats per minute), helped students to study longer and retain more information. The left side of the brain processes factual information and solves problems, which are the skills necessary for those who study these areas”, she says. “Listening to music at 50-80 beats per minute like Miley Cyrus’ ‘We Can’t Stop’ and Justin Timberlake’s ‘Mirrors’ has a calming effect that leads the brain to logical thinking, allowing the mind to learn and remember new facts”, the researcher told the Metro.

Thus, music can really be an ally to students. However, it is worth remembering that not everyone achieves the same result. Since music can also serve as a distraction from studies, each case must be analyzed individually so that the student does not jeopardized his own academic performance. In addition, it is important to emphasize that in order to achieve a positive result when creating a playlist for studies, factors such as the melody of the song and its tonal scale should be analyzed: more agitated songs with dancing rhythms tend to cause distractions, so the ideal is to choose songs that build a calm environment.