Put your headphones on with your favorite song on repeat when you're on the go. Or unabashedly singing along with that 90's playlist. Music makes everyone happy, except when that one song gets stuck in your head all day. At some point, that can become so irritating that you really want to get rid of it. But how do you do that?
Brain itch
Having a song stuck in your head is also known as a brain itch. Because honestly, it's also a bit like a really annoying itch that you can't get rid of. The song is constantly playing in your head, so at some point, you start to get annoyed by it. Researchers at Durham University found it an interesting phenomenon and set out to investigate where this brain itch comes from and what you can do about it.
Three different characteristics
According to the researchers, a song must have three different characteristics to turn into that irritating brain itch. For example, it must have a recognizable beat. In fact, your brain has stored thousands of songs in your lifetime, so you recognize many beats. If a song is played with a recognizable beat, it triggers your brain. However, unexpected pauses and the repetition of notes are also characteristic of a brain itch. Furthermore, such a song often has a simple melody and is very rhythmic.
But the big question, of course, is how to get that annoying song out of your head again. According to the researchers, the best way is to listen to the song all the way through. This is because often part of a song stays in your head and your brain starts looking for the whole song. Does this trick not work? Then it's good to distract yourself because if you pay attention to it, it will stay in your head. So think about other things as much as possible.