Music - it smooths the brain

It's a constant source of bafflement to my family members how I can have music just BLASTING in my headphones while doing something like writing. In fact, I'm writing this while listening to a song called "Eenie Meenie"! Fellow millennials will know EXACTLY what I'm talking about!

But back to WHY.

Because there are certain songs that I've heard so much that I can basically tune them out. More than that, the "tuning out" somehow makes it easier to think. I describe it as "smoothing out" the brain.

Similarly, when I was in college and studying, new material was initially difficult. In the weeks before an exam, it would take a lot of brain power to read my notes. After a few repetitions, it didn't feel so hard. And around a day or so before the exam, I'd pick up my notes and be like "UGH! This is so BORING!"

I don't say this to brag but to illustrate how the effort needed to concentrate on the material lessened over time. It felt like what was initially a gravel road in my mind became smooth and polished.

I don't have the neuroscience knowledge to explain what was taking place structurally. All I know is that pathways that are TOO SMOOTH are hard to concentrate on, but pathways "just smooth enough" (like those created by listening to a pop song I've heard millions of times) allow me to get hours of work done at a time.