How can music help to optimise our brain for success? As a music sociologist and a high performance coach it’s a question I ask on a daily basis. Working with professional athletes, entrepreneurs and executives, I can say that the power of music is across the board. The key is knowing how to strategically use music to your advantage. I’m sure you have playlists that you listen to, or albums you enjoy on repeat, but when was the last time you consciously chose to listen to music based on your performance outcome, whether on the field, on stage or in the office?
With advances in imaging technology, and increased research coming out around the power of music particularly in sports performance, we’re at an exciting phase of discovering how we can utilise music to support high performance. When we listen to music different areas of our brain light up like a Christmas tree, you are literally giving your brain a full workout, working both sides of the brain at the same time. Using music in an intentional way for high performance is game changing stuff. Here are 5 ways that music can give you the edge:
- Reduces stress - listening to music can help to lower the production of cortisol (a stress hormone), and increase our dopamine levels. Whilst we might assume this is only possible whilst listening to slow-tempo, relaxing music (the kind you would expect to hear at a spa) this isn’t the case. Whilst this kind of music certainly is relaxing for some, for others we might find listening to upbeat pieces has a similar effect. Music listening is subjective, find what works for you.
- Improves focus - having music playing in the background might help with productivity and focus. Music listening is a great way to support brain function and get it working in an optimal way, which in turn can help with focus and productivity. Music can support cognitive functioning and our working memory, that’s the type of memory we use for problem solving and learning. It’s thought that music with lyrics can make it harder to focus, and instrumental music with no sudden changes in tempo or key might be best for improving mental performance.
- Provides an energy boost - this isn’t groundbreaking, but listening to music can make us feel good! This is especially true if we listen to music that we already have positive memories associated with. Through listening to a certain piece we can bring those emotions into the present, often transforming our mood to a positive state. From an energy perspective, listening to faster tempo music gets the blood flowing, increases our heart rate, improves circulation and gets the oxygen flowing around our body, raising our energy levels as our cells respond. Move to the music and you are on to a massive energy boost!
- Promotes flow state - Being in a state of flow is about being at one with what you’re doing. It’s an altered mental state of awareness. You might call it being in the zone. I would argue it’s slightly different to focus, and as high performers we find being in flow is where we make our greatest accomplishments. Combined with mental imagery techniques such as visualisation, music can help us to step into the person we want to be, the emotions we want to feel, how we want to show up, and becomes a trigger for flow state.
- Music training promotes neuroplasticity - neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change throughout life. The more you practice something the more consistently neurons fire together, resulting in stronger connections. Learning a musical instrument has been shown to be a great way to induce neuroplasticity in all areas of the brain.? Whilst the benefits of long-term music learning have been shown to significantly improve cognitive abilities, short-term learning has also been shown to support healthy ageing of the brain. Neuroplasticity is an ongoing process, so it’s never too late to learn a musical instrument.?
The key to using music to optimise your brain for success is to consciously choose the music that you listen to, or the musical activities you engage with. Like any high performance tool, it takes effort and action to fully utilise. Now you know just some of the many many benefits of music for brain optimisation, it’s time to take action. As you transition into your next activity after reading this article, what will you listen to?
