Does music counteract mental fatigue? A systematic review
2025

Does music help reduce mental fatigue?

Sample size: 159 publication 20 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Ding Cong, Kim Geok Soh, Sun He, Roslan Samsilah, Cao Shudian, Zhao Yue

Primary Institution: Department of Sport Studies, Faculty of Education Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia

Hypothesis

Can different styles of music counteract mental fatigue and improve performance?

Conclusion

Listening to relaxing, exciting, or personal preference music can effectively reduce mental fatigue and improve cognitive and behavioral performance.

Supporting Evidence

  • Relaxing music was associated with decreased subjective feelings of mental fatigue.
  • Exciting music was found to decrease reaction time more effectively than relaxing music.
  • Personal preference music improved performance in motor control and endurance tasks.

Takeaway

Listening to music can help you feel less tired and do better on tasks when your brain is tired.

Methodology

A systematic review of nine studies examining the effects of different music styles on mental fatigue and performance.

Potential Biases

Some studies had a high risk of bias due to methodological issues.

Limitations

The heterogeneity of performance outcomes and the limited number of studies prevented a meta-analysis.

Participant Demographics

159 healthy participants, including both males and females, aged from teenagers to adults up to 35 years old.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0316252

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