Efficacy of Alpha Wave Music Combined with Mindfulness Intervention in Alleviating Mental Fatigue in College Students: Synergetic Evidence Based on EEG and Subjective Scales

Mental fatigue, a state of exhaustion induced by prolonged cognitive activity, negatively impacts students' learning efficiency and academic performance, while also posing potential threats to their mental health and long-term development. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of alpha wave music combined with mindfulness intervention in alleviating mental fatigue among university students, using both electroencephalography (EEG) and self-report scales. Twenty-one undergraduate students (aged 18–24, M = 21.4) participated in a four-session crossover experiment involving four conditions: no intervention, alpha wave music only, initial combined intervention, and repeated combined intervention. Mental fatigue was induced using a GO/NOGO task. EEG data were recorded using a 64-channel system, and subjective fatigue levels were assessed using the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) and the Chalder Fatigue Scale-14 (Fatigue-14). Results from the subjective scales showed that the combined intervention significantly reduced fatigue compared to single interventions (p < 0.05), with repeated combined interventions yielding the most pronounced effect (i.e., the smallest fatigue rebound in the fourth session). EEG analysis indicated that participants in the combined intervention group exhibited a significantly greater increase in relative alpha power and a greater decrease in beta power compared to the control group. The high degree of consistency between subjective and objective findings suggests that the combined intervention of alpha wave music and mindfulness can effectively alleviate mental fatigue in university students by modulating brain activity. These findings provide dual-modal scientific evidence supporting non-pharmacological interventions for mental fatigue.