Why You Should Always Study in Silence, According to Science
Whether you’re a fan of listening to music while reading or just live in a house with a lot of noisy people, silence may not be what you’re used to finding before reading books, but it should be and can be. Here’s why you should strive to study silently, along with some tips on how to do it.
Why should you study silently?
Despite the boom in popularity of research-based playlists on YouTube and Spotify, when you’re trying to retain the information you’re taking in, it’s best to remain quiet. Don’t take our word for it; Let’s take science.
First, a study published in 2019 found that “mental workload and visual/auditory attention were significantly reduced when participants were exposed to noise levels as low as 95 dBA.” According to the Center for Hearing and Communication , it’s about how loud a blender or truck is. The 2019 study focused heavily on how noise affects people at work, where people tend to perform tasks they already understand; Noise can be even more harmful if you are trying to gain new information. Another study looking at it found that noise was an even bigger problem: According to one 2021 report , on average participants experienced a 7% decrease in test performance when researchers introduced noise, compared to silence.
Some studies are broken down into pieces looking at the different effects of noise on introverts and extroverts’ learning and information retention, but this is too detailed and completely irrelevant; for the most part, he still finds noise distracting and reduces cognitive performance. Other studies are broken down by noise type. For example, one study found that while silence was beneficial for cognitive tasks, lo-fi music was better than music with lyrics (except when participants were doing math, where the type of music had no effect).
How to create more silence
If you like lo-fi tunes for studying, great; you just have to keep them low and make sure the lyrics don’t sneak in. Otherwise, try to reduce noise levels as much as possible, especially extraneous noise such as chatter, appliances, or traffic. Here are some tools that can help:
- Grab a pair of high-end Loop Quiet Earplugs for Noise Reduction ($24.95).
- Buy the Loop Mute ($14.95) and get an extra five decibels of noise reduction when you need it even quieter.
- Try the Grotheory Door Stopper to soundproof your study room ($9.99 for two).
- Use Mudboo Acoustic Panels to line the wall separating you from outside noise ($19.99 for 12 pieces).
Finally, check the door to the room where you work or study. If it’s hollow inside, it won’t block as much noise as if it were solid. Instead of replacing the door, you may want to consider training in a room that already has one, if possible.