You Are What You Listen To
Can music really help you think better? Yes, according to
the research that has been done so far.
Listening to, and participating in music creates new neural
pathways in your brain that stimulate creativity. Studies
have shown that music actually trains the brain for higher
forms of thinking. There was a study at the University of
California, for example, about 10 years ago.
Researchers followed the progress of three year olds, split
into two groups. The first group had no particular training
in, or exposure to music. The second group studied piano and
sang daily in chorus.
After eight months the musical three year olds were much
better at solving puzzles. When tested, they also scored 80%
higher in spatial intelligence than the non musical group.
With such a dramatic difference, there is bound to be more
research like this in the future.
There is also anectdotal evidence that listening to music,
especially from Mozart's era, can help you study and learn
better. Hopefully there will be research done to confirm or
disprove this soon, but there is really no good reason not
to do your own experimentation in this area. Stephen King
writes with loud rock music playing, so maybe any benefits
here are according to your own tastes or
brain-organization.
Brainwave Entrainment
Want to listen to some music, and get smarter? There are a
number of products out there that are based on an entirely
different principle than the research mentioned above. They
rely on "entraining" your brainwaves, in order to put you in
a meditative state.
Brain wave frequencies vary according to mental state.
Daydreaming and light meditation usually take place in the
"Alpha" range of frequencies, for example. So if you listen
to music containing beats at a frequency of 10 Hz it will
feel very relaxing, because your brain will begin to follow
this frequency and reproduce the rhythm in the music. You
will automatically generate more brainwaves at a 10 Hz
frequency and enter a relaxed Alpha mental state.
What these new products do is embed music with beats and
pulses that entrain your brain waves to a specific
frequency. You just put in the right CD or MP3 for your
activity (you don't wan't an Alpha state for analytical
work), and you get better brain function. Science? Partly.
It is well established that our brain wave frequencies
change with our mental states and vice-versa. It is has also
been clearly demonstrated that meditators can go into an
alpha state at will, and that this has beneficial effects
(lowering of stress, blood pressure, etc.). Do the tapes
accomplish this more easily?
Yes, in my experience. I've found two products that put me
in a peaceful state unlike any other music or meditative
practice. Studies will prove the effects (some have
already), and disprove the wilder claims of some of these
products. Given the results I experienced, however, I
wouldn't wait for the research, any more than I would have
waited for proof of the existence of vitamin C before I'd
continue eating limes to cure scurvy a hundred years ago.
Wait for more evidence of the benefits of brainwave
entrainment, if you must, but why not try classical music
the next time you need to study, just to see if it helps?
Experiment with music - I haven't yet heard of any damage
caused by Mozart.
About the Author
Steve Gillman has been studying brain improvement,
concentration, creative problem solving, and related topics
for years. You can visit his website, and subscribe for free
to his Brain Power Newsletter at:
http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com/newsletter.html