Song stuck in your head? Doctor reveals two science-backed ways to get rid of it
It is perhaps one of the most annoying experiences during bedtime. You’re about to fall asleep when you find yourself humming a meaningless tune – and the song just won’t get out of your head.
Medically known as earwigs or stuck song syndrome, studies estimate that about 98 percent of the world’s population suffers from catchy tunes that pop into the head and don’t change.
Now a doctor has taken to social media to recommend a handful of evidence-based solutions.
According to Dr. Michael Mrozinski, an Australia-based sports medicine specialist, researchers at Harvard University conducted studies on effective treatments – and came up with two.
“Either go with it and let the song play in your head and try to accept it… which didn’t work for me, or listen to some other songs.”
He added that the researchers have recommended specific songs that will do the trick.
This includes the British national anthem God Save The King and Karma Chameleon – a song released in 1983 by British band Culture Club, fronted by Boy George.
He added: ‘I think the best solution is to get out of bed, go for a little walk and try to clear your head.
“Maybe watch a little TV that you enjoy. Try to relax and then go back to bed and try again.
“Sitting there trying to fall asleep with things going round and round in your head is a very bad idea and it only makes you worse off because you become more irritated.”
Doctors have recommended that extreme cases of so-called stuck song syndrome can be treated with antidepressants
Dr. Mronzinski says that in about a third of people who experience this problem, the “stuck” song won’t go away, sometimes for several hours or even days.
The problem, he adds, can be caused by periods of stress or heightened emotions.
A 2016 case report from psychiatrists in the Netherlands compared severe cases of stuck-on syndrome with obsessive-compulsive disorder, due to the ‘cognitive itching’ seen in both conditions.
The doctors recommended medication under certain circumstances, such as SSRIs commonly used to treat depression.
“It is recommended that these patients be questioned about avoidance behaviors and OCD symptoms,” they wrote.”