Music can be used in different ways to support Wellness, Exercise, Focus, Emotional States and Mental Flexibility. Tap the Cards below for useful techniques. Click here for the full article. Click here for Music Worksheet
Brain Bites
Using Music to Boost Mood, Motivation & Focus
Tap each card to reveal how to put it to work.
Daily Relaxation & Wellness
Calm your nervous system, one playlist at a time
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How To Use It
- Listen to music you genuinely enjoy for 10–30 minutes a day
- Lowers heart rate and raises heart rate variability (HRV)
- Encourages slower, deeper breathing
- Supports cardiovascular health over time
- Builds a foundation of lasting calm
Before Exercise
Prime your body before you move
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How To Use It
- Play fast-tempo music, around 140 BPM
- Use it 10–15 minutes before your workout
- Boosts motivation to get moving
- Improves physical performance
- Helps prime the brain's motor circuits for action
Mental Focus & Studying
Protect your concentration
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How To Use It
- Best for deep focus: silence, 40 Hz binaural beats, white or brown noise
- Avoid music with lyrics during intense concentration
- Save favorite music for breaks between work sessions
- Boosts performance when you return to the task
Shifting Emotional States
Move a mood, don't fight it
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How To Use It
- Feeling low? Play upbeat music (~140 BPM) for at least 9 minutes
- Processing sadness? Play slower music (~60 BPM) for about 13 minutes
- Slower tempo supports healthy emotional release
- For anxiety, try calming tracks such as "Weightless" by Marconi Union
Boosting Brain Flexibility
New music, new neural pathways
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How To Use It
- Regularly explore music you haven't heard before
- Novel music helps build brain plasticity and memory
- Great tool for breaking out of mental ruts
- Encourages creativity by stretching the brain in new ways
Disclaimer: The “Brian Bites” shares ideas in exploring personal progress as derived from various sources. It is intended as information only and is not intended as advice to engage in any specific physical or mental activity. Always consider whether these ideas, concepts, techniques & activities are right for you and always confer with your health professionals.