Tuning the brain – music, movement, mood and bodily rhythms can help people learn
What is that music?
Your fingers aren’t yet tapping to the rhythm, but your brain is already working intensely to follow it.
Active brain work begins when the auditory nerve delivers an electrical signal of the notes to the brain. The listener’s brain starts to recognise the melody and rhythm. Several areas in the brain become active at the same time: electrical signals travel through the auditory cortex and the frontal lobe.
Rhythm also quickly activates the parts of the brain that regulate movement: fingers begin to tap to the beat, and the listener may even start to dance. It indicates that the motor cortex in the frontal lobe has been activated.
After all, listening to music is a holistic process for the brain: processing rhythm, words, melody, and harmony requires the cooperation of both brain hemisphires.
“Music is very much a bodily experience, and the movement of the body helps to perceive its structures,” says Professor of Music Education Suvi Saarikallio from the University of Jyväskylä. “Our body typically expresses quarter notes through upward motions, like head nodding, while half notes are more often reflected in the sideways movements of the hands and body.”
Music is indeed a powerful way to exercise your brain and an effective way to guide the listener into an optimal learning state.
“Music plays an important role, especially as a mood regulator,” says Saarikallio.
Music makes it easy to get into a cheerful, energetic mood that is optimal for learning.”
The effects of music on emotions and mood are being studied from an interdisciplinary perspective at the University of Jyväskylä’s Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain (CoE MMBB).
“One of our studies showed, for example, that secondary school students are more motivated and feel more effective when they start a lesson by listening to their favourite, feel-good music for five minutes,” explains Saarikallio.
Positive feelings support learning
Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience Piia Astikainen is heading up a research group studying the mechanisms of learning and information processing using brain research methods. The Active Mind Lab conducts research on, among other things, learning languages.
Astikainen highlights the importance of positive feelings in learning. “Enthusiasm and curiosity will increase the interest in learning and willingness to make an effort,” says Astikainen.
The enhancing effect of emotions on learning is linked to attention.
Emotions also guide attention, and an interesting and rewarding learning situation is more engaging than one that is boring or too challenging.”
Negative feelings, such as frustration or anxiety, can reduce motivation. Exercises that are excessively difficult or social anxiety in interactive situations can hinder practicing a foreign language.
Astikainen’s research group will now explore the connection between interaction and learning more in-depth.
There is already evidence that working in pairs enhances the learning of foreign language sounds. The research focused on the Chinese language. The study showed that learning with a partner was particularly effective in the early stages, as learners in pairs were more sensitive to even minor tone changes of Chinese than those learning alone.
“The difference between the groups, however, was only evident on the first of the four learning days,” says Astikainen about the recent results, which have not yet to be published.
These findings may indicate that social presence enhances attention and motivation, especially in the initial phases of learning.
In the latest study, the group examines various factors related to interaction.
We are currently exploring which factors in face-to-face situations or during video tutoring sessions promote foreign language learning."
"In addition, we measure bodily responses during learning activities to investigate the relationship between emotions, attention, and language learning. We are also exploring whether an AI-powered virtual avatar could enhance language learning by supporting emotional and attentional engagement.”
Optimal state of arousal enhances learning
The neural basis of learning and memory is studied at the Department of Psychology of the University of Jyväskylä by Professor Miriam Nokia’s research group. A key theme addresses the factors that influence memory.
The state of arousal significantly affects learning and memory performance.
“The brain is ready to learn when the state of arousal is average,” says Miriam Nokia. “Clear memories of past events are rarely formed when people are sleepy or agitated. The state of the brain adapts to the condition of the body and environment.”
Memory is defined as a person’s ability to store and recall information, as well as to adjust actions based on past experiences. While problems related to memory limitations and functioning are widely known, the interaction between the brain and the body remains an open question.
“It remains unclear how the brain and body work together to efficiently process and store new information across the brain’s distributed neural networks,” says Nokia.
Of particular interest is how learning capacity and memory function vary significantly even among healthy individuals.”
Breathing rhythm and heart beat affect detencting external stimuli
Professor Miriam Nokia and her research group are currently seeking new information about the connection between the body and memory. Breathing rhythm and heart beat are measured in the study. Learning new things is timed to match the body’s rhythm. Nokia says that presumably the rhythm is also the brain’s rhythm.
“It appears that external stimuli are better detected and more effectively learned from during certain stages of breathing and heart beat,” says Nokia. “However, individual differences exist also here. For some individuals, the optimal stage for sensing external stimuli and producing a neural response in the brain may occur during inhalation and for others during exhalation.
We are currently conducting research to determine whether learning can be improved by taking individual differences into account.”
There is strong evidence supporting the importance of sleep for learning and memory. During sleep, the brain consolidates things we’ve learned during the day to long-term memory.
Nokia and her research group want to learn more about what happens in the brain during sleep.
“The goal is to uncover the brain-wide neural networks responsible for memory consolidation during sleep,” says Miriam Nokia. “We are currently conducting research on how the cooperation between the cerebellum and hippocampus affects memory formation during rest and sleep.”
Exercise activates the brain
Senior Lecturer of Sports and Exercise Medicine Eero Haapala studies the links between the lifestyle and health of children and adolescents and leads a research group at the University of Jyväskylä. The research focuses on the effects of physical activity and nutritional factors.
Haapala explains that physical activity creates a neurobiological environment that supports learning. However, not all physical activity leads to significant learning benefits for all children and adolescents.
At its best, incorporating physical activity into school days can significantly improve learning outcomes.
The positive effects of exercise are often the most noticeable in children who are the least active or those with learning difficulties.
However, excess exercise and late training sessions can take time away from homework or reduce sleep, which may in turn hinder learning,” says Haapala.
Nutrition can also have a significant impact on learning.
“A diet following dietary recommendations with lots of vegetables, berries, fruit, fiber-rich grain products and only a small amount of processed meat appears to support learning,” explains Haapala. “Such a healthy diet has many physiological effects on the brain and also provides essential building blocks for the developing brain.”
Many young people often turn to energy drinks to boost their energy levels. Haapala points out that the drinks can improve attention and alertness in short bursts, but long-term use has been linked to lower cognitive performance and restlestness in school.
Haapala emphasises the importance of finding a balance physical activity, screen time, and a healthy diet in promoting the well-being of children and adolescents.
“In addition, it’s good to remember that the daily lives of children and adolescents involve more than just physical activity or screen time, as habits such as sleep and diet also influence cognitive skills and learning.”
