Navigate exam periods in harmony With Music

The role of music in learning 

From our earliest moments on earth, melody has been used to soothe us. We instinctively hum or sing to infants to calm and reassure. That compulsion to compose serenity through melody is so fundamental that it’s observed elsewhere in nature. Other species such as humpback whales have been recorded singing special “almost whispering” songs with their calves.

But should you listen to music while studying? We already do – music has always played its part in learning. Think about singing your ABCs, or any other similar mnemonic. In 2016, the Brain Creativity Institute of Southern California discovered that listening to music stimulates the areas of our brains associated with reading comprehension and mastering language – where we learn to reason.

With the right soundtrack then, kids can achieve better focus and concentration. Listening to music, especially compositions without lyrics to trigger our internal chatter, is a great way of blocking out background noise – whether a car alarm outside or anxious internal rumination. What’s more, when working to a backdrop of repetitive rhythms and tonal progressions, our memory retention tends to improve.

Unpacking exam season stress

Over 1 million teenagers in the UK take their exams each summer. The pressure to hit expectations inevitably drives spikes in anxiety and stress levels in students and parents alike. In fact, our research shows that 46% of adults and their children identify exam season as a stressful time.

Fortunately, on top of playing a formative role in the physiological development of our brains, there’s nothing like a good tune. And in times of stress, we return to music, using it to self-soothe – a throwback to when our infant selves were lulled into a state of calm by others. Guess what? That’s the best frame of mind when trying to prepare for an exam or work under pressure.

More than that, music just boosts the mood. It can help us feel more energised, or at least less overwhelmed by situations – like exam season. When there’s a decent tune on, your body releases less stress hormones like cortisol, with melodies lowering our heart and breath rate.

Go lo-fi for high productivity

It’s around exam time, right in the midst of our teenage years, that we form a particular connection between music and our identities. What’s the best music for studying? The answer is simple: whatever works.

However, with 80% of kids working to music, one genre has emerged as a powerful study tool for teens around the world: lo-fi.

Originating from a fusion between artists like American rapper J Dilla and Japanese producer Nujabes, Lo-fi now comes from all over the world. It’s typically lyric-free and to a tempo that stays between 70-90 bpm – the same range as the human heart in rest mode.

With over 14 million subscribers, the undisputed queen of the scene is Lofi Girl.

A series of long-running live streams of chill music, Lofi Girl is as famous for its aesthetic as its sound. The Miyazaki-esque visuals, created by Colombian artist Juan Pablo Machado, depict a scene of a girl studying at her desk with her cat for company. Wearing over-ear headphones, she appears to be listening to the same music as the viewer.

With over 40,000 concurrent viewers regularly tuning in, many teenagers stressed over exams quickly realised they weren’t alone. When heads lifted from books, a community emerged and evolved in the Lofi Girl livestream comments section and associated Discord.

A more pleasant, shared studying experience. Lower stress; higher productivity.

How music can bring parents and children closer together

Music is a natural connector of people. It may be the calming backdrop for empathetic conversations between parents and children about anxieties during exam time, or it might simply be a gateway to discussions around a shared interest.

Consider incorporating music into your child’s study routine by…

Listening along
You may find that you’re both into Lo-fi. It’s hard not to be. Its gentle, looping, melodies and beats might well inspire your own work.

Taking your cue
When you hear Lo-fi, or any study music, why not designate time for you to get out your kid’s space and get something done.

Setting boundaries
Demarking healthy amounts of specific time as times in which to study – no phone, no tablet, no TV – means study time begins, and ends with your chosen soundtrack’s duration.

Building routine
Setting aside this specific study time means routine. If that study time comes with the right music for studying, the habit is more likely to stick.

EE LearnSmart

At EE, we want to empower young minds to reach their full potential – especially during exam season. That’s why we’ve curated playlists on our LearnSmart hub designed to maximise productivity and minimise stress, from lo-fi beats to study sessions with smart creators who have been through the exam rite of passage themselves.

We’ve also partnered with leading mindfulness app Calm to offer free trials to our customers – including music and audio specifically designed to help uplift moods or aid focus and flow. This offer is open to everyone. You don’t even need to be an EE customer. All you need to access discounts and special offers like this is an EE ID. You can get one when you Join Calm with EE | EE Learn.

So why not take a beat out of your day to add a little harmony to study sessions? It might just make the difference come results day.