Science & Technology

Listening to Beethoven will give your brain a boost.

Brain health has captured our attention lately. Millions of people are worried about one of the most powerful instruments in the universe deteriorating – called brain rot – whether from endless social media scrolling or not eating the right foods. These days, many are trying to give their brains some tender loving care by skipping the nightly session on X, TikTok, or Instagram. While that thing in your head will reward you, it would also be pleased if you turned up the classical music, especially Edvard Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King.

Classical Music for Your Brain

When was the last time you listened to J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations? Have you carved out a part of your day to hear Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 41? What about Franz Schubert?

Some have argued that classical music is a dying genre as everyone is consumed by Ariana Grande or Taylor Swift. Like junk food, this may give you a kick and instant gratification, but it is not good for your health. Classical music is the whole foods that can provide long-term health and satisfaction.

Over the years, an enormous body of research has highlighted the positive impact classical music can have on your brain, with experts calling it the “Mozart Effect.” Put simply, the classical style contains complexity and structure, while today’s popular hits maintain little mental nutritional value.

The most commonly cited study is from 1990, published in the journal Nature. Individuals were split into three groups: one sat quietly, one listened to a relaxing tape, and one listened to a Mozart piano piece. After just ten minutes, the Mozart group did much better on a puzzle test, scoring about ten points higher than the other groups.

Whether you are listening to a beautiful violin solo or playing the piano yourself, scientists say engaging with the classical world can be good for your brain. It can help you do better in school, keep your brain healthy as you get older, protect it from shrinking, and even make it easier to solve puzzles and understand shapes.

A 2023 paper, published in the National Library of Medicine, discovered that classical music lights up different regions of your brain, particularly areas involved in memory, attention, and emotions.

In a 2004 randomized study of 144 six‑year‑olds at the University of Toronto, children were assigned to piano lessons, voice training, drama classes, or no lessons for an entire school year. The kids who took piano or voice gained an average of seven IQ points, higher than the other groups.

While a lot of the focus is on cognitive functions, classical music can also boost general mental health. In fact, this has been a common finding across studies over the decades.

A 2020 study discovered that listening to orchestral music helped 35% of people to relax, and 18% said the genre lifted their spirits. Research from 2013 found that classical music can affect the parts of your brain that make you feel happy, excited, and motivated. It also showed listening to this style can help you relax, lower stress, and keep your body healthier.

“We’ve found compelling evidence that musical interventions can play a health care role in settings ranging from operating rooms to family clinics,” the lead researchers said. “But even more importantly, we were able to document the neurochemical mechanisms by which music has an effect in four domains: management of mood, stress, immunity and as an aid to social bonding.”

Need Help With Math?

The next time you are completing a math worksheet or studying for a physics exam – or you need a break from the day-to-day grind – turn off Lil Wayne or Lady Gaga and turn on Frederic Chopin’s etudes and preludes or Clara Schumann’s Three Romances for Violin and Piano. Over time, you will notice your language, math, and even reasoning skills improve.