Your Brain Called. It Wants the Aux Cord.
What 30 seconds of music can do to your memory, mood, and nervous system
Let’s try something.
Press play on a song you know by heart. Don’t think—just hit play.
Now, notice your body.
Did something shift? A breath soften? Shoulders drop? Maybe a flicker of memory, unannounced and exact?
That’s not random. It’s your brain recognizing something familiar—and lighting up.
Even 30 seconds of music—especially songs tied to your younger years—can light up memory centers in the brain. It’s as if your neurons lean in and say, “Oh, this one.”
But it’s not just about nostalgia.
In one fMRI study, people were asked to imagine emotional scenes. Some did it in silence. Others listened to music that matched the mood.
Only with music did the brain activate regions tied to emotional processing—like the amygdala (emotional spotlight), hippocampus (memory processor), and hypothalamus (stress-response dial). Even dopamine hubs like the ventral tegmental area lit up.
Just 15 seconds of music changed the way the brain engaged.
More feeling. More meaning. More presence.
But this doesn’t just happen in brain scanners.
In fact, several studies found that simply having music in the background—while studying, eating, or going about your day—can offer a host of benefits:
In a study with students doing a tough cognitive task, background music helped them stay calmer and more motivated to learn.
It even improved reading comprehension scores. Another study showed it helped reduce distress during mealtimes in an eating disorder unit.
And background music showed a promising trend toward better well-being and lower stress among healthcare workers.
And all of that? From the same thing you already do in the shower, on your commute, while folding laundry.
Turns out, what you hum can heal.
So when the day feels heavy or your brain’s buffering, don’t just “power through.” Try pressing play instead.
It’s not indulgence—it’s evidence-based.
But what happens when you combine music with mindfulness?
In a recent randomized controlled trial, researchers gave people daily playlists to listen to—some with simple mindfulness instructions, some without. The people who paired music with mindfulness didn’t just enjoy the experience—they showed meaningful drops in anxiety, depression, and stress.
And it didn’t stop at how they felt.
Another study at Yale went deeper—literally—tracking brain waves and heart rhythms in real time during a music mindfulness session. The results? Heart rate variability went up (a sign the vagus nerve was kicking in to calm the system), and brain activity shifted in frontotemporal regions (areas near the forehead and temples involved in mood, attention, and stress processing).
In other words: their bodies got calmer, their brains got quieter, and their minds got more present. All from a short guided session with music and breath.
And in a small but striking study with stroke survivors, daily music listening—especially when paired with mindfulness—did more than soothe. It helped people remember more and switch tasks more fluidly (a skill called attentional switching, often impaired after brain injury).
After six months, those in the music groups outperformed audiobook listeners on tests of memory and mental flexibility—with effect sizes big enough to matter.
And while the study focused on stroke, the takeaway hums louder:
The way we listen can shape the way we think.
Not bad for something you can do on the go.
Sometimes, a pair of headphones and a moment of attention is enough.
When music and mindfulness come together, your nervous system listens.
And sometimes, it sings back.
Micropractice #11: High Note
When you feel stuck, stressed, or scattered—try this:
Put on a song you love.
Let it play for 30 seconds. Eyes open, softened, or closed.
As it plays, notice:
your breath
your posture
your mood
any memories or feelings that rise
You don’t need perfect stillness.
You don’t even need to stop moving.
Try putting music on in the background—yes, even while folding laundry. (Which, with the right playlist, can feel surprisingly cinematic.)
Because sometimes the most powerful reset... starts with a single note.
If this struck a chord, feel free to share it with someone with ears.
With rhythm, and resonance,
Eli Susman, PhD
Founder, The Micro Memo
micropractice.com
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My husband is a musician — a bass player — but he recently bought a small 64 key piano, so we’ve been tinkering around on that quite a bit. I’ll sing, and he’ll try and figure out the notes on the piano. Our dog always ends up coming in and laying down in there and just seems so calm and content to be in the presence of our music making. It’s truly a universal language across all species
Absolutely. I discovered about 10 years the benefits of having music play in the background while at work. It's been very helpful with managing anxiety and mood while in the office.
If you're interested, here's a recent essay I wrote about the impact music has had on my life and mental/emotional well-being.
https://jefffeldman111274.substack.com/p/on-phish-mental-health-and-surrendering