Music you really like for creativity

It’s not a groundbreaking discovery that we like music. However, now that neuroscience has
become popular and draws more and more funding, we know the reason why we like music.

One of the most remarkable effects music has on the human brain is that it stimulates the release
of dopamine, which is a brain mediator that lifts your spirit. You get some dopamine from eating
good food or getting your salary on the payday. And you get a lot of dopamine from doing cocaine.

Let’s say, music is a safe middle ground between the two. We produce 9% more dopamine from
the music we particularly like.

What does that have to do with creativity? There’s evidence that dopamine helps the creative
effort. The exact mechanism is the subject of debate, but scientists are pretty unanimous on the
effects of music on the brain. If you listen to music you really like, you may become more creative.

2. Ambient for creativity

Have you ever had a hard time studying or working when it’s too loud around you? Noisy
colleagues can distract quite a lot. But the opposite is true too. Complete silence can be hard to
work with.

The solution? Listening to ambient noise. The evidence suggests that moderate noise fosters
creativity.

The reason this works is that you are on the optimal level of stimulation when you’re listening to
ambient noise. Make the music too loud and too fast, and you’re hyperstimulated. At the same
time, complete silence makes your brain bored.

Ambient makes it ready to get creative. However, this is not the only effect music has on the brain.

3. Dubstep for exercise

Did you ever feel more energetic while listening to music? That’s because there’s a scientific
reason behind this.

When you listen to fast music during exercise, you perform better. This study shows that athletes
needed less oxygen to do the workout. The difference was only 7%, but it still demonstrates the
effectiveness of music.

Your brain gets overwhelmed with stress when you’re exercising, especially if it’s a high-intensity
training. What music does is to shift the focus from how hard the exercise is.

The optimal tempo for exercise is 145 BPM, which is exactly the tempo of many Dubstep tracks.
Music that is faster than that doesn’t produce more stimulation.

If you’re going for a jog or are planning to hit it hard at the gym, dubstep or any fast music can
help you perform better.

5. Classical music for attention

Whether you study or work, you need concentration to help you perform your daily tasks. And the
right kinds of music can give your brain just that.

A Stanford study found that people who were listening to classical music scored higher on the
attention tests. The results of the group who were performing the test in silence were significantly
worse off.

This means you can just blast Rachmaninoff or Bach when you need to focus. However, this effect
of classical music on the brain’s ability to focus may be due to the absence of words, not just some
kind of intrinsic quality that other music genres lack. Some studies show that any type of
background music without lyrics increases your concentration.

6. Classical music for memory

Classical music is also good for memory, this University of Tennessee study finds. Rap music was
compared to classics during a memory test. The results showed that rap music listeners scored less
on average.

Again, this finding may be extrapolated to all music that doesn’t have lyrics.

7. Music you love for long-term memory

The music builds powerful emotional connections in our brain. Whenever you hear a song that you
listened to in childhood, you may relive the time when you first heard it.

These effects of music are even more pronounced in the brains of dementia patients. This non-
profit suggests music can help Alzheimer’s patients stay more mentally alert and prevents
delirium.

You can try to use this remarkable feature of music when preparing for an exam. Listen to a track
while reading the textbook. Then listen to it right before an exam to freshen up the memory.

8. Metal for anger issues

Metal music is for angry people, right? Well, it turns out that it is right. This study says people with
anger issues can benefit from metal music because it makes them calmer.

Try listening to a metal band when you feel angry or depressed. Science says it’s going to help you
calm down and feel better.

The amazing effects of music on the brain

Music is a unique tool in our arsenal. While it’s not the ultimate solution for everything, it can help
you in many situations. There are times when you need that 10% boost in creativity. When you
need that, play your favorite track and be ready to get more productive and creative!