by A. Y. Ford

Created on: July 15, 2010

Ambient sound helps some people concentrate by blocking out random sounds that can be distracting. Ambient sound becomes part of the atmosphere and can add comfort. The more comfortable a person is the easier it will be for that person to focus. An example could be someone who likes music while they study. The music in this situation is not distracting but is rather a familiar element that helps establish the environment for this person to study. If this same person tries to study and there is no music playing they hear every random sound in the room whether it is a library or at home. Even the floor creaking or someone moving across the room can be distracting if the music is absent.

Some people choose to study at the beach so the sound of the waves drowns out all other distractions. Some people feel they focus best in a busy room with lots of hustle and bustle that just becomes background noise. Some people do not study or concentrate well with any outside noise and require complete silence. This is actually harder to achieve than having ambient noise. No matter how quiet of an atmosphere a person tries to create there are going to be natural occurring sounds.

For a person who requires silence the ambient sound created by a “noise maker” could be helpful. There are a variety of these types of machines available and the sounds they create range from white noise, to ocean waves, to thunderstorms. These devices can be helpful for people who require a quiet environment for concentration and need to create this through artificial means.

Professionals in many careers use ambient sounds to help them concentrate. Surgeons as well as artists often use music to help them stay focused on the work before them. Artists will often choose music based on the mood they are hoping to create in their piece of art.A quite different example of using noise to help a person concentrate is having the TV on while cleaning the house. The background noise created by the television keeps the person’s mind occupied while he is cleaning. This can be a great help for someone who dreads cleaning.

Whether a person likes music, the sound of rolling waves at the beach, or the early morning chirping of birds, this comfort is often based on what a person becomes accustomed to that will help him to concentrate.

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