Why does a song get stuck in your head and how can you get rid of obsessive motives?

Probably the obsessive melody of the song that bothers you the most is playing in your head right now. All people have experienced this feeling. In fact, it seems to us that a simple combination of music from an advertisement or a children’s song is just a marketing ploy. We learned why this happens and how to get rid of stuck song syndrome.

Why does a song get stuck in my head?

The “earworm” effect, or “cognitive itch,” is what scientists informally refer to as a condition in which a particular melody constantly plays in the head. At the same time, the genre of the song is not so important: nursery rhyme, rap, pop music or advertising slogan. According to American scientist James Kelaris from the University of Cincinnati, the auditory cortex of the brain is responsible for listening to music, and at the moment of its presentation the reason for “sticking” appears, that is, another part of the brain is working. So the song plays over and over again. Stuck singing syndrome is more common in women than in men. It can be triggered by anything, for example, neurotic diseases.

Do you like this song

Scientists who studied the “earworm” phenomenon came to the conclusion that a person loves a song that has stuck in his core. Even if you’re not a Britney Spears fan, it’s likely that the song’s melody, beat, or chorus will subconsciously bring positive associations and memories to you.

You’re not tiring your brain enough

Usually “earworms” don’t show up when you are very busy and have deadlines. An obsessive cause occurs when performing simple and monotonous tasks that do not require intense mental stress, such as washing dishes. A bored consciousness begins to independently raise random thoughts from memory. A similar situation occurs with insomnia when you start thinking about life. Hence the “broken record” effect

There is a feeling of incompleteness

Experiments have shown that if you suddenly turn off a well-known musical composition, the auditory cortex will continue to “finish” the melody by inertia. Typically, no such effects were seen in the brain when playing an unfamiliar song.

you have OCD

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder tend to repeat calming rituals, such as rechecking the stove and door lock. Therefore, the emergence of music may be accompanied by increased anxiety.

How to get rid of the obsessive melody in your head

Each person may have their own methods of dealing with earworms, but we have found the most effective ones. First, try singing a different song or playing it on a musical instrument. Try shifting to a different rhythm that involves your body, such as when doing physical exercise. For example, you can stimulate your taste buds by chewing menthol gum.

Another fun way is to visualize the earworm. This will allow you to use creative thinking. And finally, turn on the stuck song and listen to it until the end. Maybe the feeling of completion calms you down. If the obsessive reason does not disappear, most likely this is a sign of an emerging psychological disorder. You can contact a specialist for advice.