How to get rid of earworms

Earworms can be a horrible affliction! No, don’t panic, these aren’t creepy crawly biological organisms that found a new home in your ears. ‘Earworms’ are the term scientists use to refer to the experience of someone having a song “stuck” in his or her head.
Earworm experiences are quite commonplace and although not dangerous, they can be a very irritating nuisance.
Based on the latest research, Dr Freya Bailes, an academic fellow in Music Psychology at Leeds University, says some physical remedies may work, including chewing gum or modifying your walking pace against the song’s beat.
Singing can help, too, Bailes says, along with spending time with friends.
If the earworm just won’t go away, Bailes suggests to stop trying, and instead distract yourself.
Shut your ears: First of all, avoid music. This is certainly easier said than done – and, as a musician, not something she says she would seriously recommend.
Avoid listening to music before going to bed since its transformation into an earworm can interfere with your sleep.
Repetition and recency are the dreaded ‘Rs’ of earworm sufferers.
Try not to listen to a song over and over again, and avoid music that is in itself highly repetitive.
We also know that having heard a song recently is the most cited reason for then imagining it.
If you’d rather have a different song played from your mental jukebox, make sure that this is the last thing you hear before going to sleep.
There is also some evidence that if the music we are listening to is interrupted, we continue it mentally (known as the ‘Zeigarnik effect’).
To prevent this from happening, it’s advisable to listen through to the end of the track.