How Does Music Improve Your Mental Health?
I have always loved music. Growing up, I would spend hours on end shut in my bedroom listening to my CDs on repeat (yes, I’m that old!). Music was my escape and way of understanding the world. It still is today, only I now understand it and myself on a deeper level.
There have been numerous studies on the benefits of music. Here’s what some of the research has found regarding music. Research supports that engaging in music-making activities, such as drumming circles, songwriting, or group singing, can facilitate emotional release, promote self-reflection, and create a sense of community. A 2019 study found that college students who listened to classical music every day for two months had significantly lower levels of anxiety. Although, I don’t know many college students that generally listen to classical music on their own. And some research has found that even listening to “sad” music can make you feel some pleasant emotions, which might lessen the pain you are feeling or allow you to more safely feel sad feelings we sometimes try to avoid in life. Research into music therapy for people who are deaf and also have mental health disorders is more limited, but case studies suggest, just as in hearing people, music can help people with hearing loss to express emotions and improve cognitive abilities. I've always said that if I go deaf, I’m going to listen to music really loudly and just feel the vibrations because that’s healing as well.
Considering the healing effects of music, it may seem backwards that musicians may be at a higher risk of mental health disorders. A recent survey of 1,500 independent musicians found that 73% have symptoms of mental illness. This could be due in part to the physical and psychological challenges of the profession or that they are drawn to music due to its healing nature. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Germany found that musically active people have, on average, a higher genetic risk for depression and bipolar disorder.
Benefits of Music
There are so many benefits regarding music, mentally and physically. Today, we are going to focus on the mental health benefits.
Stress & Anxiety Reduction: Promotes relaxation while lowering cortisol (stress hormone), heart rate, and blood pressure. Music therapy decreases anxiety levels and improves the functioning of depressed individuals.
Mood Enhancement: Upbeat music triggers a dopamine and serotonin release, making you feel happier.
Emotional Regulation: Music helps process emotions, manage feelings, and can transform negative moods into positive ones. “Listening to music that does not have lyrics attached to it lets the listener project their personal feelings and their personal struggle into the music,” Dr. Cook recommends.
Cognitive Function: It improves memory, focus, and mental alertness, activating multiple brain regions.
Social Connection: Group music activities (singing ensembles for example) build community, empathy, and social bonds. Music can serve as a catalyst for social connection and support, breaking down barriers and bridging divides. Emerging evidence indicates that music has the potential to enhance prosocial behavior, promote social connectedness, and develop emotional competence. Music has a rich history of being used as a tool for social advocacy and change.
Self-Expression: Music offers a powerful way to express feelings, cope with anger and other emotions, or find hope. If you don’t have the words to explain what you’re going through, or if you don’t feel comfortable talking about it, song lyrics provide another way to express yourself.
Trauma & PTSD Relief: Music therapy provides a safe space for emotional release and healing, reducing symptoms of trauma and PTSD. Music therapy has shown promise in the research for providing a safe and supportive environment for healing trauma and building resilience.
How it Works (Brain Chemistry)
Neurotransmitters: Releases dopamine (pleasure) and serotonin (mood), while lowering cortisol (stress).
Brain Activation: Engages the neocortex, improving calmness, and activates emotion centers like the amygdala and nucleus accumbens.
How to Use Music for Mental Health
If you would like to explore using music to help you feel better, here are some recommendations:
-Sampling different types of music to expand your horizons and find what you like
-Using music as a stress reliever when you are feeling anxious
-Discussing meaningful song lyrics with a friend
-Trying an instrument
-Talking about why you love a particular song with the adults in your life (or, if you’re a caregiver, with your teen)
-Listening to classical music when you have confusing or difficult emotions
- Creating playlists to match or inspire different moods
-Going to a concert to connect with other people
-Join an online community with other music lovers-band specific, genre specific, etc.
-Put music on to motivate you to do a task you are avoiding, such as cleaning or working out
Music Therapy
Music therapy is a structured, evidence-based use of therapeutic interventions where music is used to promote health and wellbeing. In music therapy, sessions may include songwriting, active music making (ex. Playing instruments), singing, and receptive music listening, often followed by a discussion. To provide music therapy, therapists have to complete an accredited program. Music therapy is used to treat individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, dementia, and chronic pain. It promotes wellness, manages stress, alleviates pain, expresses feelings, enhances memory, improves communication, promotes physical rehabilitation, and more. Clients receiving music therapy do not need musical skills to benefit.
To learn more about music therapy visit the American Music Therapy Association at https://www.musictherapy.org/
As you can see, music has many benefits and it’s really up to you about how you want to utilize it in your life.
*This is for educational purposes only and should not replace treatment. Please reach out to your practitioner to discuss your treatment.