We all know that playing an instrument and producing music can make you way, way smarter — from increasing your ability to reason and tackle problems, to improving the way you relate to new cultures and concepts. But what about listening to music? There are several benefits to passively listening to music — and a few more from analyzing our favorite tracks.
#1. It makes you more creative.
Music is an invitation to the inner thoughts of your own mind, a state of day dreaming whereby you fly from one seemingly random thought to another in a continuous flow. This alone can boost your creativity, and help you come up with new ideas.
#2. You become more adept at learning languages.
Music is the most universal form of communication, and understanding (and producing) music may directly affect a person’s affinity to language. Through exposing yourself to different genres and styles, you gain a greater empathetic range for all forms of culture.
#3. It elevates your spatial intelligence.
Essentially, this means that music increases your ability to visualize physical concepts. In essence, it’s what helps you organize yourself, and plan ahead for the day — simple tasks like efficiently rearranging your room to managing your work space depend on spatial intelligence.
#4. It improves your rhythm.
Most people possess the innate ability to keep a beat, but some do so better than others. Training your brain with music allows you to better cope with many other aspects of life that require timing and sound processing, from language to walking and dancing.
#5. It exercises your brain.
Actively listening to music, whether it’s humming or playing along, keeps your brain working and helps maintain cognitive ability as you get older. Listening to the music you like (specific genres don’t matter — as long as you dig it) stimulates your brain in a positive way, even stimulating reward hormones.
#6. Listening to music you like improves cognition.
Fast-paced, low-volume music can change the way your brain processes information, making mundane tasks like checking your emails much easier and more enjoyable. Studying is made easier by ambient noise, which your brain can process without it acting as a distraction. When working, music can also be a way to drown out a noisy environment and improve focus on a single task.
#7. Memorizing your favorite tracks improves recollection.
Listening to music can be a way to improve your memory, especially if you make a habit of trying to recall songs when not listening to them. From lyrics to the beat of the music itself, all aspects of a familiar tune can be used to make sure you keep your memory sharp as you age.