Everyone has different habits. Some people prefer to have some background noise, like music, going when they’re working or exercising. Others need complete and total silence to be able to accomplish their goals for the day. This caused some researchers to wonder if there was a link between listening to background music while completing activities and the state of the brain.
In a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, researchers examined whether or not there was a difference in the brains of those who preferred background music and those who did not. According to their findings, wanting to have background music on all the time may signal that your brain is trying to tell you something.
Researchers specifically looked at the connection between listening to background music while completing tasks and having ADHD, as they hypothesized that neurotypical people would feel less of a need to listen to background music.
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To perform their study, researchers had a group of 434 young adults between the ages of 17 and 30 fill out online surveys that screened them for ADHD and allowed them to report their habits when it came to listening to background music. Researchers said that their study took a look at what activities caused young adults to listen to background music. For example, what was the difference between “more and less cognitive” activities, like “studying, problem-solving, versus cleaning, engaging in sports?”
Eric W. Dolan, who reported on the study for PsyPost, noted that young adults with ADHD were not only more likely to listen to background music regardless of the activity, but also preferred stimulating music, no matter the activity. Unsurprisingly, results led the researchers to conclude that all young adults, regardless of whether or not they had ADHD, play background music during most tasks, whether they are “cognitively demanding” or not.
There was a noticeable difference, though. Those with ADHD listened to background music more often when studying and exercising. It was not clear why they chose these two particular tasks. They were also more likely to listen to background music during activities that weren’t difficult or didn’t require a lot of brain power.
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The researchers said, “We were interested in how young adults with and without ADHD use background music during daily activities, especially those requiring more cognitive effort, since prior lab studies rarely examine real-world listening habits. Given that individuals with ADHD often struggle with attention, we wanted to understand whether they listen to music differently in everyday contexts.”
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The study’s findings prove that if you constantly have music playing in the background, there’s a chance that you may have ADHD. If you are likely to play stimulating music no matter what you’re doing, even when studying or working, that just adds to the likelihood.
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However, receiving treatment, no matter what point you’re at in life, can be incredibly helpful. According to the CDC, treatment for ADHD can include prescription medication and therapy, in addition to receiving education and support.
Medication is one of the most common and effective treatments for ADHD. The Cleveland Clinic compared taking medicine for ADHD to wearing glasses for poor eyesight. Both help the patient focus better, just in different ways. ADHD medicines increase the amounts of neurotransmitters in the brain, which in turn help with “increasing attention span, reducing hyperactivity, controlling impulsive behavior [and] managing executive dysfunction.”
If you suspect you have ADHD, or you’re showing signs of it, such as always needing background music on, consulting with a medical professional is worth it. You may be able to improve symptoms so much that it will surprise you.
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Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
