Why Studying in Silence Works, According to Science
Some of you may be curious as to why many students are only able to work in the quietest of spaces in a library or their bedroom. Well, it turns out that there is actually a scientific explanation for it. Interested in knowing how our brains, hormones, and nervous systems function when we need to study for that upcoming exam in a quiet vs. noisy space? Keep reading and you’ll find out!
How does our brain focus with noise?
It’s no secret that constant noise can cause distractions to our study sessions and can even sometimes be frustrating. The reason for this is that any time our brain senses background noise, it begins to work in order to filter the noise out. The largest effect has been seen for outdoor sounds such as traffic noise. At the University of Alberta’s Department of Psychology, Joanna Scanlon, under the supervision of Kyle Mathewson, an assistant professor from the Science Faculty, conducted a study looking at the reasons why our brain sometimes prefers quieter places for certain tasks, and how it works to keep our brain focused even with some background noise.
According to Scanlon, “We were able to change brain activity during a cognitive task in a noticeable and reproducible way, simply by playing outdoor sounds in the background." They explained that the results of their study show that our environment plays a role in how we perceive the things around us. In addition, these findings mean that the majority of what is understood of the brain has been oversimplified, research conducted in mainly unrealistic laboratory settings. These new findings, however, can better the research of the brain and even improve technology to treat particular illnesses.
Why do we get agitated by background noise?
According to several studies, the stress from consistent white noise can increase the release of cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that assists in restoring homeostasis (the body’s optimum, healthy state) after going off balance. However, excess cortisol is able to harm the function of the prefrontal cortex — a center for emotional learning that helps to control functions like planning, reasoning, and impulse control. In addition, there is proof that tells us the pre-frontal cortex also stores short-term memories.
Furthermore, recent research has suggested that stress from noise can decrease the levels of dopamine (another hormone) in the pre-frontal cortex. This hormone controls the flow of information from other parts of the body. Overall, noise that causes stress can decrease brain function, and negatively affect our learning, memory and decision-making behaviours.
So why try studying in silence?
A healthy mind can lead to a healthy body. Studies have shown that the occasional time spent in silence can be beneficial to our health, including: reducing cortisol, lowering blood pressure, and improving concentration and focus. Notice the benefits of reducing cortisol from silence and the connection between extra cortisol and noise-induced stress. Interesting!
What about listening to music?
Of course, if studying with music works for you, go for it! But for those wondering why music isn’t quite working for them, let’s explore why!
According to psychologists from the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Texas A&M University, studying with music has been discovered to be distracting. “Multitasking is a fallacy; human beings are not capable of truly multitasking because attention is a limited resource, and you can only focus on so much without a cost,” cognitive psychologist Brian Anderson said. “So when you’re doing two things at the same time, like studying and listening to music, and one of the things requires cognitive effort, there will be a cost to how much information you can retain doing both activities.”
He explained that our brains do a better job of remembering when our environment is the same as when we learned the material before. If you’re studying for an exam with music, it might be harder to remember that information from 2 days ago without the music as headphones are not permitted in examinations.
What if I still want to study with music?
No worries! Steven Smith, a cognitive neuroscientist from the same department has been able to provide advice for students who still want to continue listening to music when cramming for their exams. “…if you want to listen to music while you study, try to listen to something that does not have words, or if it does have words, hopefully, it’ll be in a language that you don’t understand at all, otherwise that’s going to distract from the stuff you’re trying to study.”
No matter how you study, finding what works best for you is important — especially in university. It’s okay to explore other methods — café background noise, total silence, music, classroom noise etc. Just remember to find what works best for you as soon as possible — preferably before classes start! Good luck.
About the Author
Jenny Pham is a McMaster Life Sci student. She is currently working as a Math & English tutor, a volunteer with Peel Health at a long-term care center, a passionate MEDLIFE chapter founder, and an amateur writer looking to combine her passions for medicine and writing. Like others around her, she’s a second-generation immigrant working towards a career in medicine and education, looking to continue advocating for underprivileged communities as a physician, through research, and education. You can connect with her on LinkedIn!
