Why can one song send shivers down your spine, transport you back years in an instant, or make your foot start tapping before you’ve even realised you’re moving?

In this episode of Pause Here, we explore the fascinating science behind music and the powerful role it plays in memory, emotion, movement, breathing and connection. We look at why certain songs give us goosebumps, how the brain predicts and responds to rhythm, why familiar music can become deeply tied to our memories, and how tempo, silence and musical structure can influence the way our body feels.

Press play, follow the rhythm, and discover just how much of your life already has a soundtrack.

• Witek, M. A. G., Clarke, E. F., Wallentin, M., Kringelbach, M. L., & Vuust, P. (2014). Syncopation, body-movement and pleasure in groove music. PLOS ONE, 9(4), e94446.
• Salimpoor, V. N., Benovoy, M., Larcher, K., Dagher, A., & Zatorre, R. J. (2011). Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music. Nature Neuroscience, 14(2), 257–262.
• Kaiser, A. P., & Berntsen, D. (2023). The cognitive characteristics of music-evoked autobiographical memories: Evidence from a systematic review of clinical investigations. WIREs Cognitive Science, 14(3), e1627.
• Janata, P. (2009). The neural architecture of music-evoked autobiographical memories. Cerebral Cortex, 19(11), 2579–2594.
• Jacobsen, J.-H., Stelzer, J., Fritz, T. H., Chételat, G., La Joie, R., & Turner, R. (2015). Why musical memory can be preserved in advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Brain, 138(8), 2438–2450.
• Grahn, J. A., & Brett, M. (2007). Rhythm and beat perception in motor areas of the brain. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 19(5), 893–906.
• de Witte, M., Spruit, A., van Hooren, S., Moonen, X., & Stams, G.-J. (2020). Effects of music interventions on stress-related outcomes: A systematic review and two meta-analyses. Health Psychology Review, 14(2), 294–324.
• Bernardi, L., Porta, C., & Sleight, P. (2006). Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory changes induced by different types of music in musicians and non-musicians: The importance of silence. Heart, 92(4), 445–452.
• Bratman, G. N., Anderson, C. B., Berman, M. G., Cochran, B., De Vries, S., Flanders, J., ... & Daily, G. C. (2019). Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science advances, 5(7), eaax0903.

In this episode of Pause Here, we explore something we do every waking moment yet rarely stop to think about… listening.

What’s the difference between hearing and truly listening? Why can you hear your name across a crowded room, yet completely miss something that’s right in front of you? Together, we uncover the fascinating science of attention, perception, and prediction, exploring how the brain filters the constant stream of information around us and why listening is about far more than our ears.

Press play, tune in, and rediscover the quiet art of paying attention… to the world around you, the people you love, and yourself.

• Simons, D. J., & Chabris, C. F. (1999). Gorillas in our midst: Sustained inattentional blindness for dynamic events. Perception, 28(9), 1059-1074.
• Patel, A. D. (2008). Music, language, and the brain. Oxford University Press.
• Koelsch, S. (2014). Brain correlates of music-evoked emotions. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(3), 170-180.
• Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169-182.
• Clark, A. (2013). Whatever next? Predictive brains, situated agents, and the future of cognitive science. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 36(3), 181-204.
• Cherry, E. C. (1953). Some experiments on the recognition of speech, with one and with two ears. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 25(5), 975-979.
• Bratman, G. N., Anderson, C. B., Berman, M. G., Cochran, B., De Vries, S., Flanders, J., ... & Daily, G. C. (2019). Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science advances, 5(7), eaax0903

In this episode of Pause Here, we explore the power of micro-pauses. Those tiny moments of breath, awareness, and intention that are quietly scattered throughout our everyday lives. From waiting for the kettle to boil and standing at traffic lights, to walking through a doorway or taking one breath before replying to a message, we discover how these often-overlooked moments can become opportunities to reset, reconnect, and return to the present.

Press play, slow down, and discover how calm doesn’t always need more time. Sometimes, it simply needs a doorway.

Every episode of Pause Here is inspired by current research across neuroscience, psychology, physiology, mindfulness and wellbeing. While we’ve done our best to translate complex science into everyday language, we’ve also aimed to preserve the nuance behind the findings. The references below are a great place to begin if you’d like to explore today’s topic in more depth.

• Zaccaro, A., Piarulli, A., Laurino, M., Garbella, E., Menicucci, D., Neri, B., & Gemignani, A. (2018). How breath-control can change your life: A systematic review on psychophysiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, 353.
• Wood, W., Mazar, A., & Neal, D. T. (2022). Habits and Goals in Human Behavior: Separate but Interacting Systems. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 17(2), 590-605.
• Lieberman, M. D., Eisenberger, N. I., Crockett, M. J., Tom, S. M., Pfeifer, J. H., & Way, B. M. (2007). Putting feelings into words: Affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli. Psychological Science, 18(5), 421-428.
• Creswell, J. D. (2017). Mindfulness interventions. Annual Review of Psychology, 68, 491-516.
• Clark, A. (2013). Whatever next? Predictive brains, situated agents, and the future of cognitive science. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 36(3), 181-204.
• Chen P, Chavez O, Ong DC, Gunderson B. (2017). Strategic Resource Use for Learning: A Self-Administered Intervention That Guides Self-Reflection on Effective Resource Use Enhances Academic Performance. Psychological Science, 28(6), 774-785.
• Albulescu, P., Macsinga, I., Rusu, A., Sulea, C., Bodnaru, A., & Tulbure, B. T. (2022). "Give me a break!" A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PloS one, 17(8), e0272460.