Your Brain on Electronic Music

Our last post detailed how the refined, steady, and structured forms of classical music can boost our brain function. But what about ambient and electronic beats?

Interestingly, this genre of music has been shown in studies to impact our grey and white matter in a different way, specifically affecting our brain wave activity, but also influencing our moods and cognitive performance. Let’s learn more!

Brain-boosting betas

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you might remember us talking about binaural beats and brain waves early on. We spoke about the electrical signals that neurons produce in response to our actions and emotions. The synchronization of these signals is what creates a variety of brain waves, including delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma. But how does this relate to electronic and ambient music? Well, research has revealed that ambient music, especially when paired with binaural beats, can induce alpha wave activity. For this reason, it’s often utilized in sleep therapies and mindfulness practices, as it can help to facilitate feelings of mental clarity, focus, and calm.

Similarly, electronic beats can promote alpha and beta wave activity. For example, the fast-paced and upbeat nature of some electro music that increases beta wave activity can enhance cognitive engagement and alertness, making it ideal for concentration-based tasks.

Feeling the beat

Mood modulation is another key benefit of incorporating electronic and ambient music into our everyday lives. Ambient compositions have been shown to lower cortisol levels and promote a sense of well-being, making it a perfect choice for meditation practices. Conversely, certain types of high-energy electronic tunes can give us that dopamine hit that we all crave, the neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of pleasure and reward. This can encourage a motivational energy that helps us to complete work faster, or even smash our workout!

Focus and concentration

On a deeper cognitive level, electronic music can help to stimulate our focus, which can, in turn, aid various functions, such as problem-solving and memory. This can lead to a state of flow that is conducive to productive, creative learning sessions.