A social media meme claims that humming can “shut down your ability to think,” but what does neuroscience say? Humming does engage certain parts of the brain, particularly those involved in producing and controlling sound and breathing. This engagement can indeed make it harder to concentrate on other complex cognitive tasks simultaneously. However, it doesn’t completely shut down your ability to think.
When you hum, especially if it’s a tune you know well, your brain engages in pattern recognition, memory retrieval, and motor planning. This can interfere with other mental tasks, particularly those that are also auditory or verbal in nature, such as reading or having a conversation.
Humming can also be used as a form of mindfulness or distraction. It can help you focus on the present moment and reduce intrusive thoughts, which might be why it seems like you can’t “think” in the usual way while humming. This can be beneficial for reducing anxiety or overthinking.
Humming can help shift your focus away from stressors and promote relaxation. This can sometimes paradoxically enhance creative thinking or problem-solving once you stop humming, as your mind might be in a more relaxed and open state.
And, yes, humming stimulates the vagus nerve, a crucial component of the parasympathetic nervous system. This nerve influences various bodily functions, including heart rate, digestion, and mood regulation. Activation of the vagus nerve through humming can enhance parasympathetic activity, promoting relaxation and reducing stress.
It can improve blood flow to the brain, enhancing oxygenation and nutrient delivery. This can lead to better cognitive function and a sense of mental clarity.
Humming can stimulate the release of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and endorphins, which are associated with feelings of well-being and happiness. This can improve mood and reduce anxiety and depression.
Humming helps balance the autonomic nervous system by promoting parasympathetic dominance. This can counteract the effects of chronic stress, which often results in a hyperactive sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight response).
This post includes content generated by ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI. The AI-generated content has been reviewed and edited for accuracy and relevance.
