Music has the ability to completely transform how we are feeling, and it can have an effect on how we think and behave too. As such, it can help us get through difficult times, and can help reduce negative effects of stress. The benefits of music are experienced not only through listening to it, but by playing, singing, and dancing too. Finding the right fit for you can add a simple self care practice to your daily routine.
Listening to Music
Listening to music activates the brain’s production of dopamine, which helps you feel good. It also reduces your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and decreases levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. All of this reduces symptoms of overall anxiety and depression. Music has also been attributed to the reduction of pain.
If you have ever felt a tingling sensation or goose bumps while listening to a song, this was a physiological response in your body which activated your parasympathetic nervous system, along with regions of the brain that are associated with rewards. This is why music can have such a lasting impact. Sometimes we hear a song from our youth and we get transported in time and experience those feelings and sensations all over again. Music can tie us to our cultural or religious roots, and can help form our identity. Our preferences change over time and can reflect different stages of our lives.
Listening to tunes can help you reach states of flow more easily because the release of dopamine helps concentration and helps you enjoy yourself more, regardless of activity. Flow is a form of mindfulness, a way of refocusing our energy. We reach flow when we are deeply involved in trying to reach a challenging goal that is also pleasurable. Thoughts are focused on the activity, and away from stress and negative thinking.
Singing & Dancing
Singing lyrics has similar effects on your brain and body as listening to them. It reduces cortisol which reduces stress. So next time you feel like belting out a tune in the shower or get invited to karaoke, do it! Concert-goers often report an intensified experience when they’ve sang along with the band because their active participation released feel-good hormones like oxytocin and endorphins.
Dancers interpret music through movement. It is an extension of the sounds they hear and an artistic expression of their own creativity. But you don’t need to be a professional dancer to feel it in your body. You will often see people listening to a live group moving around, clapping their hands, or tapping their toes to the beat of the drum. Dancing also releases endorphins which make you feel good. It can also be great fun and a social activity that makes you feel connected to others with similar interests.
Music as Therapy
Growing research into music as a therapeutic treatment is showing that listening to it can have have positive effects for people suffering from anxiety and depression. Warning, the inverse effect is possible if done excessively, and certain types of genres or lyrics can also trigger anxiety. Furthermore, if a song was playing when you experienced a trauma, that song, or similar ones, could be a trigger in future. Understanding what you are experiencing can help you overcome it.
Upbeat music has the tendency to make people feel more optimistic and positive about life. Slower tempos can help relax you and quiet your thoughts. Research shows that the genres that typically support relaxation include classical, soft pop, and certain types of world music. But personal preferences will also have an impact on how you experience the music.
Many of us unconsciously use music to uplift our mood. Now you know that you can positively influence your state of being by carefully selecting what you choose to listen to. Just a few minutes a day over a course of a couple of weeks can positively improve your mood and overall quality of life.
Actively listening to music can help prevent working memory decline in older adults, a normal outcome of the aging brain. Working memory is our ability to hold information for short periods of time. Have you ever had to ask someone their name again 5 minutes after meeting them because you couldn’t remember? That is your working memory not processing the information. Learning new things is harder, remembering information is harder, and we easily lose things. It can also present as having trouble planning or organizing your day-to-day activities.
Learning to Play Music
Musical education boosts overall performance by developing fine motor skills, promoting memory, and nurturing critical thinking skills. Even a short exposure to learning to play can have a lifetime effect. When introduced in childhood, it can help with sensory development, improves social and emotional skills, and enhances hand-eye coordination. If you didn’t learn music as a child, don’t feel like you’ve missed out on an opportunity. Studies have shown that older adults can not only learn, but they too can benefit from increased cognitive abilities, reducing the impacts of aging.
Music affects multiple pathways and networks in the brain, making it more resilient. It increases the brain’s gray matter in some areas, increasing its plasticity. Gray matter is important as it plays a critical role in our ability to function day-to-day. This includes our ability to pay attention, process information quickly, and use logic to draw conclusions about the world around us. When it comes to self care, plasticity is important because it allows us to adapt to change and grow.
Musicians have better self-awareness, and when playing with others, there is also a bonding effect. By keeping the beat with those playing in a group, and knowing when to shine and when to listen, it helps them understand their role in the group, and increases the positive feelings towards others. The release of hormones reinforces that bond, and increases the level of pleasure felt when playing.
What genre of music do you prefer?
Music can not only help heal us physically and emotionally, it can also help with cognition. Listening to it in the company of others creates social connections. Many say music feeds the soul, it has a transcendent quality that connects you with something greater than yourself. It is nostalgic, transporting us back in time, flooding us with memories. And music can inspire us.
With a myriad of musical options at our disposal, only you can decide what is right for you. Pay attention to how you feel with different genres, if it is hindering you in any way, choose another option. Once you know what music is right for you, find a way to hear a song or two a day to get a little boost in your mood or productivity. Music is not a replacement for professional help if you need it, but it can be a self care tool that is easily customizable and fun.
IMAGE CREDIT: Unsplash | Eric Nopanen.