25/03/2026

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WEDNESDAY | MAR 25, 2026

ON YOUTUBE

Malaysian Paper

/theSunMedia /

Music or distraction? Playlist decoded M USIC therapy is an evidence-based practice that uses rhythm and melody to enhance physical, emotional and cognitive health, effectively reducing stress, anxiety and pain. needs a serious remix. The core finding is both simple and revolutionary: music influences creative and critical thinking differently and often inversely. Upbeat, energetic tracks that fuel free-wheeling, divergent creative COMMENT by Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Ibrahim

“It is time to think critically about what we are listening to creatively and when to press pause . The quality of our thinking may depend on it. Whatever the task, the therapeutic power of music on the mind is clear; the challenge is choosing the right music for

By stimulating almost all brain regions – including the hippocampus (memory), amygdala (emotion) and frontal cortex (thinking) – it supports neuroplasticity, boosts mood-regulating neurotransmitters and aids in treating neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The practice fosters emotional expression, builds resilience and provides a safe, non-verbal environment for processing trauma. It has been shown to manage chronic and acute pain, lower blood pressure and improve motor skills. For individuals with neurodegenerative conditions, music can trigger memories and enhance quality of life, making it a powerful therapeutic tool. Music, including a mother’s voice, can help stabilise premature infants’ heart rates and support brain development. Patients also use music to process emotions and memories, and actively engage in creating it through singing or playing instruments. Music therapy requires no musical talent, making it an accessible, holistic approach that promotes physical, mental and emotional well-being. We have all done it: firing up a favourite playlist to “get in the zone”, believing the right music is the secret sauce to brainstorming and deep work. From coffee shops piping in ambient jazz to developers coding to epic film scores, using music as a cognitive tool has become an article of faith in the modern workplace. But what if this common practice is wrong? Emerging research, including compelling work by Hilton, Lockhart and Rodell, suggests our one-size-fits-all approach to musical accompaniment

thought – the kind needed for brainstorming product names or painting a canvas – can become kryptonite for focused, analytical and critical thinking. Tasks that demand convergent thinking, such as editing a report, coding a complex function or balancing a budget rely on sustained concentration rather than external stimulation. So, what’s happening in our brains? Researchers point to cognitive load and arousal. Upbeat, familiar music with lyrics – think pop anthems – increases arousal and can help break conventional thought patterns, pushing us to make novel connections, which are the hallmark of creativity. However, that same stimulation becomes competing noise when the brain needs to follow a logical thread, scrutinise details or solve a defined problem – it’s a cognitive traffic jam. For critical thinking, studies suggest that silence – or very low-arousal instrumental music, such as certain types of ambient or classical – works far better, as it minimises external cognitive load. This has profound implications for how we structure our workdays and design our workspaces. The modern open-plan office, with its constant background music or a cacophony of individual headphone choices, may be inadvertently be undermining the very brainwork it aims to support. An employee dissecting a legal contract to a drum-and-bass beat is probably working against their own best judgement. The key is not to banish music altogether but to wield it with intention, becoming curators of our own cognitive soundscapes. The new prescription:

We have all fired up a favourite playlist to ‘get in the zone’. But music influences creative and critical thinking differently. – REUTERSPIC

0 For creative bursts: when ideation is needed, embrace higher-tempo, personally enjoyable music. Let it lift your mood and energy. Lyrical complexity can even help by encouraging the brain to form abstract connections. 0 For critical analysis: when precision is required, seek silence. If complete quiet is impossible or unsettling, choose soundscapes with minimal melodic variation – think white noise, ambient electronica or certain minimalist classical pieces. Lyrics can be your enemy when focus matters. Know thyself: The research acknowledges individual variation. A trained musician may process music differently than a non-musician. The key is self-awareness: Does this track feel like a propellant or a disruptor for this specific task? The era of the default playlist is over.

The work of Hilton, Lockhart and Rodell invites us to stop using music merely as a mood-setter and start treating it as a precision tool – one that can either unlock our most imaginative ideas or guard the gate to our sharpest analysis. It is time to think critically about what we are listening to creatively and when to press pause. The quality of our thinking may depend on it. Whatever the task, the therapeutic power of music on the mind is clear; the challenge is choosing the right music for the right occasion. ProfDatuk Dr Ahmad Ibrahim is affiliated with the Tan Sri Omar Centre for STI Policy Studies at UCSI University and is an Adjunct Professor at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

the right occasion.

Education retains its importance in the Malaysian landscape for parents, students and stakeholders. The changes are fast paced with new developments in new fields of study such as cybersecurity, data protection, augmented and virtual reality, machine learning in education, digital education and artificial Intelligence. Leading the way are universities, who are invited to showcase their latest programmes, curriculum and content in our Education Focus for 2026.

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