TheNo 1 kind of music for focus and concentration– and it’s not classical

Music isn’t simply for home entertainment. Having it on in the background can assist you focus much better, even if you battle with attention deficit disorder.

But with music and individuals being so varied, how do you choose which is finest for you? Researchers have actually discovered that when it pertains to increasing mental capacity, there is no one-fits-all category.

It totally depends upon the private and what they react to. I have numerous favorites– hip-hop, rap, pop, nation, folk, classical, opera. So it’s not about category for me.

As an artist and Harvard neuroscientist, I’ve discovered that “familiar music,” or tunes that you take pleasure in and understand best, are the most reliable for taking full advantage of concentration.

A 2018 study found that familiar music activates many of the brain regions responsible for movement, so the focus is “full-bodied.”

This means that I can sing along and feel a learned rhythm in my body. Because I’ve heard the song before, I have the pleasure of anticipating what’s next.

When I need to focus, familiar music helps me both relieve stress and connect with the emotions I need in order to be fully present.

For example:

One thing I pay attention to is whether I’m “over” the music. Several studies have shown that your listening pleasure follows a U-shaped curve. First it increases, but after a while, once your brain gets used to it, the returns are diminishing.

Another group of researchers found that the type of music that most positively influences learning is “soft-fast,” songs like Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” or “Love on Top” by Beyoncé.

“Loud-fast,” “soft-slow” and “loud-slow” music tended to hinder learning. Instrumental music can also be less disruptive than music with lyrics.

There are many ways that music can impact the brain’s ability to focus. One mechanism involves decreasing stress and cortisol, which allows the brain’s attention center to operate without interruption.

In the brain, the focus centers are directly connected to the regions that process emotion, so any music that makes you more emotionally volatile could disrupt your concentration.

On the flip side, when you suppress your feelings, negative emotions just linger in your brain. And try as you might, you’ll lose the capacity to focus. So, if music helps you to connect with your emotions, it can help you think more clearly, too.

Srini Pillay, M.D., is a Harvard psychiatrist and brain researcher, chief medical officer and co-founder of Reulay, CEO of NeuroBusiness Group, and the author of “Tinker Dabble Doodle Try: Unlock the Power of the Unfocused Mind.” Follow him on Twitter @srinipillay and on Instagram @drsrinipillay

Don’t miss out on:

Want to be smarter and more effective with your cash, work and life? Sign up for our brand-new newsletter!

Get CNBC’s complimentary Warren Buffett Guide to Investing, which distills the billionaire’sNo 1 finest piece of suggestions for routine financiers, do’s and do n’ts and 3 essential investing concepts into a clear and easy manual.