#5- Beat Workday Mental Blocks with Music and a Wearable EEG Headset

#5 Neuroscience Unplugged

Welcome to the fifth edition of Neuroscience Unplugged!

Neuroscience Unplugged is a series here to make complex neuroscience insights practical and jargon-free for everyone’s personal growth journey.

This week, we’re exploring how specific music beats can boost your focus, lift your mood, and help overcome mental blocks at work. With new neuroscience insights, we’re learning that certain rhythms and tempos don’t just sound good—they can actually help you stay on task and power through your day.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in an afternoon slump or bogged down by a mental block, music could be the solution you need. Let’s see how!

Latest Lab Insight: The Science of Music Beats and Brain Focus

Recent studies reveal that the rhythm and tempo of music can directly influence brain activity, providing valuable clues about how specific tempos can enhance focus, relaxation, or even mood elevation. This connection between brainwave states and music’s tempo—or BPM (Beats Per Minute)—suggests that understanding BPM can help tailor your mental state for creativity, concentration, or relaxation.

What’s BPM?

BPM stands for Beats Per Minute, which measures the tempo, or speed, of music. The brain interprets different BPMs uniquely, as various tempos correspond to specific brainwave patterns that impact focus, energy, and relaxation.

Here’s how BPM can influence your brain:

• 60 BPM (one beat per second): A slower tempo that aligns with calming alpha waves in the brain, promoting relaxation and creativity. This range is ideal for brainstorming or reflection.
• 120 BPM (two beats per second): A faster tempo that syncs with beta waves, stimulating alertness and focus, especially useful for detail-oriented tasks.

By selecting music with the right BPM, you can prime your brain for specific tasks, helping you tackle the workday with the focus and energy you need.

Practical Tips: Using Music Beats to Enhance Productivity

1. Set the Tone for Creativity with 60-70 BPM “Alpha” Tracks Slower, rhythmic music aligns with alpha brainwave frequencies, easing your mind into a relaxed, open state—ideal for ideation and creative thinking.
2. Opt for 100-140 BPM for High Focus For tasks requiring deep concentration, faster tempos in the 100-140 BPM range can sharpen focus, syncing with beta waves that support sustained attention.
3. Boost Memory with Binaural Beats Binaural beats can support memory retention by synchronizing brain activity across both hemispheres, ideal for tasks involving recall.
4. Energize with Uplifting Tempos Higher BPMs stimulate dopamine release, enhancing mood and boosting motivation—perfect for overcoming procrastination or tackling challenging projects.

Case Study: Helping Priya Overcome the Afternoon Slump

Meet Priya, a project manager who faced productivity challenges—particularly during the afternoon slump. Around 3 p.m. daily, Priya found herself mentally fatigued, struggling to complete her tasks. To help her, we took a data-driven approach, pairing music with brain-tracking technology to guide her into more productive mental states.

Using the Muse Headset to Track Progress

To assess Priya’s progress, we used the Muse Headset, a wearable device that monitors brain activity in real time. By tracking brainwaves associated with focus, relaxation, and stress, the headset provided immediate feedback, showing how Priya’s brain responded to different types of music.

Here’s how we structured her routine:

• Step 1: Setting a Baseline and Introducing Music We first monitored Priya’s brain activity without music, providing a baseline of her natural mental states during different tasks. Next, we integrated music into her routine, matching tempos to specific tasks for optimal impact.
• Step 2: Tracking Brainwave Changes with Music Priya began each morning with music that encouraged alpha waves, which eased her into a calm, focused state for planning. For intense, post-lunch work, we switched to music that induced beta waves, boosting her alertness. The headset showed her brain's increased focus and calmness, motivating her to continue using music strategically.
• Step 3: Consistent Practice for Lasting Change Priya committed to this practice over three weeks, tracking her progress through weekly check-ins. The data showed measurable improvements in her focus, especially during her typical “slump” hours, helping her build confidence in her ability to manage mental fatigue.

After a month, Priya was able to overcome her afternoon slump consistently. She felt more in control, with her brain adapting to the music-based approach and showing sustained improvements in focus and relaxation.

Wrapping Up

Next time you feel mentally stuck or find your energy waning, consider pairing music with these neuroscience-based insights to boost your brain’s natural rhythms. By experimenting with BPMs, you can create an effective routine for focus, creativity, or energy management—making your day more productive and enjoyable.

What’s your music routine for focus or creativity? Share your experience and let me know if you try these tips!

Thank you for reading the fifth edition of Neuroscience Unplugged!

I'm excited to explore more fascinating topics and share practical tips with you in future editions.

Stay tuned and be sure to subscribe to the newsletter to be updated about the next edition, #6, where you can discover practical dopamine hacks and how to use brain chemistry to power through boring tasks (which are SFW).

It will be published Wednesday 20th November. ?? Heema Shah