Music’s Impact On Your Mental Health
By: Michelle Richards
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imaginations and life to everything.” - Plato
Music is a cornerstone of our lives as humans. We turn to it to express our moods, both in times of happiness and celebration, and when we need comfort from grief or sadness. And, like the humans that create it, music is diverse with a wide range of genres to appeal to everyone. In fact, music benefits us far beyond what most people know, specifically towards our mental health, because it has a powerful way of uniting people.
Think about how:
National anthems connect crowds at sporting events
Protest songs stir a sense of shared purpose during marches
Hymns build group identity in houses of worship
Love songs help prospective partners create moments together during courtship
Lullabies enable parents and infants develop secure attachments (Source 2)
“We have such a deep connection to music because it is hardwired in our brains and bodies. The elements of music—rhythm, melody, harmony, etc., are echoed in our physiology, functioning and being,” says Barbara Else, senior advisor of policy and research at the American Music Therapy Association. Given this deep connection to music, it is perhaps unsurprising that numerous studies prove that it can benefit our mental health. (Source 1)
Neurological researchers have found that music can physically change the brain. Listening to music can trigger the release of several neurochemicals that play a role in brain function and mental health, such as:
Dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure and “reward” centers
Cortisol, a stress hormone
Serotonin and other hormones related to immunity
Oxytocin, a chemical that fosters the ability to connect to others. (Source 2)
Studies have shown that music can improve mood and combat depression. It can also improve blood flow similar to statins (lipid-lowering medications), and ease pain. Music seems to “selectively activate” neurochemical systems and brain structures associated with positive mood, emotion regulation, attention, and memory in beneficial ways, says Kim Innes, a professor of epidemiology at West Virginia University’s School Of Public Health. Innes co-authored a 2016 study that found listening to music could boost mood and wellbeing and improve stress-related measures in older adults suffering from cognitive decline. Her study compared the benefits of music to those of meditation: both practices linked to significant improvements in both mood and sleep quality, which are “potentially powerful tools for improving overall health and wellness,” Innes elaborates. (Source 3)
In one study by Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, five researchers studied how music can improve memory. They tasked people with reading and recalling short lists of words. Those who listened to classical music outperformed those who worked in silence or white noise. The same study tracked how quickly people performed simple processing tasks—like matching numbers to geometrical shapes—with similar benefits. Listening to Mozart helped people complete the task more quickly and accurately.
In addition, studies with Dementia patients’ music has been effective as a way of building trusting connections with patients who have trouble remembering their loved ones. This is because music memory is one of the brain functions that scientists have found to be most resistant to dementia. Even when a patient struggles to remember the people around them or daily routines, they are more likely to remember their love and connection to music. (Source 2)
We have seen how music can help with depression and memory, so what are some of the other ways music improves our lives? (Source 1)
Music can help manage pain and anxiety.A study on patients having surgical procedures found that those who listened to music after their procedures reported feeling less pain and anxiety than those who did not listen to music. Additionally, patients who listened to music were less likely to need pain medication.
Music can help with brain injuries and seizures. Studies have shown that music may aid speech recovery following a stroke, and may also help to treat epilepsy (Source 1).
Music can lead to better learning because it stimulates and engages our brains, as reported in MRI scans.
It can improve cardiovascular health. Music makes us want to move, and the benefits of dancing are well documented. Scientists also know that listening to music can alter breath rate, heart rate, and blood pressure, depending on the music’s intensity and tempo.
Music can decrease fatigue by energizing listeners, and studies show that relaxing music helps reduce fatigue and maintain muscle endurance when study participants are engaged in a repetitive task. (Source 2)
According to Daniel Levitin—a professor of psychology who researches the cognitive neuroscience of music at McGill University in Canada—the brain has no single “music center.” One surprising fact is that music activates nearly every region of the brain, hinting at music’s universality and power. (Source 3)
In conclusion, researchers and health experts are calling for music therapy to be more widely incorporated into health care settings due to its positive impact on mental health and wellbeing(Source 1). To cultivate an even deeper connection between music and health, consider the emerging field of music therapy, which focuses on using music to improve patient outcomes (Source 3). Many physicians believe that music therapy could offer an alternative treatment option for conditions like headaches and anxiety (Source 1).
“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” - Billy Joel □
About the Writer
Michelle Richards lives in Wilmington, Delaware with her husband and two daughters. When she isn’t writing for H3R, Michelle works as a Care Counselor with Cerebral. She believes that access to quality, affordable Mental Health services is essential and wants to help to break the stigma of asking for support. Michelle loves the beach, reading, writing, true crime, exercising outside, watching movies with her daughters, and date nights with her husband.
Article Credits
Michelle’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Shelldez
Sources
The power of music: how it can benefit health, Medical News Today. Written by Honor Whiteman (2015)
The Benefits of Listening to Music, healthline. Written by Rebecca Joy Stanborough, medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson (2020)
You Asked: Is Listening to Music Good For Your Health? TIME. Written By Markham Heid (2018)
