According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, teenagers typically spend two and a half hours daily listening to music. That time of music intake contributes to teenager’s mental, physical and emotional health.

When listening to music a person’s body releases dopamine, which helps the brain get excited for tasks like studying, writing or working out. 

Lead Counselor Dana Vorsino loves to listen to music throughout her day. She listens to a station on her way to work and listens to music while she working or after school when she is at the gym.

“Different playlists for working out can give you a boost of energy and music during games helps to get everyone involved,” Ms. Vorsino said.

Music offers teenagers a guide to shape their identity and help with social and emotional needs. Teenagers should pick their music based on their current emotional state. 

“For teenagers having a bad day or panic attack, playing music helps to lower stress or anxiety,” Ms. Vorsino said. 

Music can also be a tool for teachers in the classroom. A California casualty study shows that school background music helps students improve their behavior, focus and motivation. 

“Listening to music all day is really a calming thing,” freshman Macy Kauffmann said. “It helps me focus on anything I am doing.”

As music serves as a shared interest between others, it can provide a sense of belonging and identity for teenagers. Often the music young people listen to reflects their emotions, traditions and values. 

“Sharing a song with my friends and having them like it is amazing,” junior Jadon Crumpton said. “Getting to listen to songs we all like together is super fun.”

Though studies prove music with lyrics can cause harm to the task at hand, one student says the opposite about her life. 

“I can see how it can help take away distractions, but I only listen to music with lyrics,” Sophomore Ebun Toluhi said. “When people play classical music it makes me fall asleep.”

However, listening to music with vocals can cause harm to your “working memory,” or the memory used when trying to hold and manipulate several bits of information at once. A 2011 study had participants do a focus-demanding task while listening to music from calming and classical to loud and upbeat. 

“I’ve read certain studies that say music can help with different things,” Ms. Vorsino said. “For example, classical music can help while studying for a test or other school work.”