The Refrain Won't Stop
A melody that repeats in your head over and over at unexpected moments.
This is apparently called an "earworm" (an internal brain loop phenomenon).
Before I know it, the same phrase is playing on a loop.
Lately, this has been happening day after day, and my brain is getting a little tired.
Once I go to the supermarket, my head is filled with this song until I go to sleep.
It's the familiar "Yobikomi-kun" song that goes 🎵Po-po-po-po-po...
A while ago, I was also struck by a song that was often played on YouTube Shorts.
🎵Ruby-chan! (Yes!) What do you like? More than chocolate mint, it's YOU!
——It's a song with a very cute worldview where they answer which ice cream they like in turn. This also got stuck in a loop in my brain.
After that, every single song by the girl group "HANA," born from the audition program "No No Girls," was looping in my brain.
Setting aside the supermarket's "Yobikomi-kun," the songs that end up looping in my brain are usually ones I chose to listen to myself.
You could say I'm "hooked," but lately, those loops have become stronger and last longer than before, and my head is constantly filled with sound, which is honestly exhausting.
That might just mean those songs are charming, but...
what is this addictiveness?
Thinking that, I looked into this "earworm" (internal brain loop phenomenon) and got some interesting information from ChatGPT (OpenAI).
<Common traits of songs that easily become earworms>
1. Simple and easy-to-remember melodies: Nursery rhymes, pop songs, commercial jingles, etc.
2. Repetitive structure: Repeating choruses or recurring characteristic phrases
3. Slightly fast tempo: Close to the heart rate, making it easy to synchronize with subconscious physical rhythms
4. Unexpected leaps or rhythms: Melodies that aren't completely predictable and have a "little quirk" are easier for the brain to get hooked on
Come to think of it, don't songs you hear on YouTube Shorts or TikTok turn into earworms way too often? I feel like that short length and the mechanism of hearing them repeatedly are putting the brain in the mood for it.
<Causes of earworms>
1. Runaway brain prediction system
If a melody is cut off midway, the brain tries to fill in the rest, which can lead to an infinite loop.
2. Stress, fatigue, boredom
It is said that when you are feeling anxious, tired, or conversely, bored, it can slip into the gaps in your mind. It might be a sign that your brain is seeking stimulation.
3. High frequency of exposure to the song
Supermarket background music, TV commercials, social media reel videos, etc. You might have been hearing it without even realizing it.
Yeah, it's true that the idea of the brain seeking stimulation might be real...
And apparently, there are "brain characteristics" that make you prone to earworms.
<Brain characteristics prone to earworms>
・Right superior temporal gyrus
・Right inferior frontal gyrus
These are parts of the brain related to the processing of sound, memory, and language.
It has also been reported that having lower amounts of specific proteins related to these areas makes earworms more likely to occur.
Wow, proteins are related to the occurrence of earworms!!
I used to think "protein = muscle," but it turns out that many of the neurotransmitters that connect electrical signals in the brain are also made from proteins.
In other words, protein is essential for the brain to function normally.
If that's the case...I might be protein-deficient right now.
I never expected the cause to be on my end, so that was surprising.
"I've been getting earworms a lot lately. Maybe I'm not getting enough protein?"
——That might be a valid way to check your nutrition (lol).
By the way, I also looked up ways to stop these earworms.
For those of you whose brains are getting tired from earworms just like mine, give these a try.
・ Solution 1: Listen to the song all the way through
If your brain is "trying to complete the rest of the song," actually listening to the end to finish it can sometimes stop the loop.
・ Solution 2: Focus on a different song or task
"Overwriting" it with another melody is also an option. However, since the new song could also become an earworm, silent tasks or natural sounds are also recommended.
・ Solution 3: Write down the song title or lyrics on paper
A technique to push the loop out of your consciousness by "getting it out" of your brain. It has a psychological effect similar to "writing meditation."
By the way.
I realized something just as I finished writing.
"Popo-popo-popo..." is looping in my head. It seems I remembered it while writing this article. Help me 😂
My refrain won't stop.
Tonight, I will eat protein.
Thank you very much for reading until the end.
See you next time.