You’re in science class and your teacher keeps droning on about yet another stodgy bookwork assignment. The other students are chatting and  you decide that you don’t want anymore homework than you already have. But how are you going to get it done? Easy, unravel your headphones, plug them into your iPod and make the world disappear. If you’re like me and every other teenager then you probably can’t go anywhere without your earbuds and iPhone so why not put it to use?

Having a bad day? Maybe you didn’t get enough sleep, or the fact that you’re at school just puts you in a grumpy mood. We all get tired and lethargic towards the end of the school day. Believe it or not, listening to music is the most affective way to work, and improve your mood. If you’re always in a better mood, you’ll be happier in general.  Happiness relates to more socially beneficial behavior, and maybe even a higher income. According to Examined Existence  Many experts use music in jobs, like in therapy for improving moods in depression and anxiety patients. Music definitely helps if experts are using it. Not buying it yet? Spirituality Health says that When you listen to any rhythm, your heart begins to sync with it. A slow heartbeat tells the brain that something sad or depressing is occurring . While a faster heartbeat tells the brain something happy and exciting is occurring! And when you’re in a better mood, productivity peaks. So, the more upbeat the music you listen to, the more your mood will improve. In addition, listening to music also slows heart rate and pulse, and blood pressure decreasing the level of stress hormones. If you do listen to music, maybe you’ll be able to survive the school day. Connecting to my main claim, an improved mood can enhance your work habits and make your daily life and school day better.

Now that you’re finally home from the interminable day, time to get back to work! You decide that it is time to tackle the homework before it keeps piling up, so get your pencil and your earbuds out. “It can help me get into the reading and stop me getting distracted by other things. It makes studying more enjoyable.” - Melanie Fineman student at Brown University on listening to music while studying (USA Today). For many people like Melanie, music can make studying bearable and drown out the other noises that may be surrounding you. Music can help keep you focused and get your homework done. Since it also has a positive effect on us you’ll be more productive and efficient.

scientists at the University of California found that test scores improved  when listening to mozart, compared to silence. This is because the processing of music shares the same pathways in the brain as memories. as a matter of fact listening to music can also help you concentrate better, increase productivity, and improve cognitive performance. Washington Post says that if you’re an avid Beyonce listener, playing her songs will make you just as focused as a classical music lover listening to Beethoven. So if you like it, listen to it.  Also, wonderopolis says that exposing younger children to  music can help their brains develop and make them smarter. They also say that listening to music is better when studying for a language arts test because it can help you understand language patterns. How can listening to music help you focus? Glad you asked. Listening to music lights up areas of the brain that help you focus (Education-Portal).

You might be able to think of a few reasons why music isn’t the most effective. You may think it’s distracting, and that you’d be better without it but there are definitely more pros than cons.

Don’t you want your students to be in a better mood? You might say that you don’t care, that they’re there only there to learn and get work done, but they’re people too. I know that when I zone out listening to music I just want to get the school work done and out of the way.  “Working while listening to music is distracting” says a local student at Essex Middle School. If you too are are agreeing with that quote, there’s a way around that. Just listen to music without lyrics. Don’t worry, Mozart isn’t the only kind of classical or instrumental music. Try listening to other genres like chillstep, trap, or maybe instrumentals of your own favorite tunes.

Now that you’ve learned all of the benefits of listening to music while in school, make it a daily work habit, or your go-to stress reliever, or maybe even your study buddy.

"How Music Changes Your Mood." Examined Existence. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2015.

Http://spiritualityhealth.com/. N.p., n.d. Web.

"Should You Listen to Music While You Study?" USA TODAY College. N.p., 10 Sept. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.

"Music Helps You Focus on Your Own Thoughts, but Only If You like It."Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.

Can Music Help You Think?" Wonderopolis. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2015.

N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2015