Music is an incredibly powerful tool that has been recognized for its impact on emotional expression and social connection. Over the last decade, more and more research has been conducted that reveals how significant a role music plays in improving mental health, including reducing stress and anxiety and providing an outlet for emotional discovery. By playing a musical instrument or even just listening to your favorite song, you’re already on the way to improving your mental well-being.
Music Can Improve Your Mood
Chances are, you’ve noticed the role music can play in influencing your mood. For example, you’ve probably felt a sense of relaxation while listening to soothing instrumentals before bed, the exhilarating rush while singing in the shower, or the almost spiritual experience of hearing your favorite singer live. For me personally, I have been playing the viola and piano from a young age and have noticed the calming effects of playing music. Though it, of course, requires a level of effort, I’ve often felt emotional and physical tension soothe while playing. It has truly served as a form of relaxation and stress relief for me.
Researchers have been able to draw a strong connection between listening or performing music and emotional regulation. Music also activates different parts of our brain that control emotion, cognition, and sensation. While not the only reason for music’s profound impact on the brain, listening to music releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that can create feelings of pleasure, and reduces cortisol, a stress hormone.
Music Benefits Your Immune System
Music can even improve the health of our immune system. Researchers with JAMA Pediatrics conducted a study on patients in a pediatric emergency room where some had music played for them, while others did not. The patients who were able to listen to music in the emergency room reported not having pain while being administered IVs, a finding that has been extended to painful medical procedures. Music can have an impact starting from birth to the end of our lives. A study conducted by Lavinia Rebecchini has shown that when mothers sing to their newborns, it creates a stronger bond between them, regulates an infant’s sleeping and eating patterns, and decreases infant distress. Additionally, music has been an incredibly useful tool for reducing anxiety and stress in elderly dementia patients.
The Power of Music Therapy
It’s no surprise then that the music therapy field, which began in the mid-1900s, has been growing increasingly more popular. Music therapy falls under creative arts therapies, which include the use of drama, poetry, art, and more to help people address their mental health concerns. It can be difficult to express our feelings and experiences verbally; this is where art can help. Studies have shown that music therapy can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, help patients find effective ways to communicate, and increase happiness. Music therapy is an incredibly versatile process and is not limited to just one practice. It can look like songwriting, learning or playing an instrument, singing, listening to music, and more.
Music therapists, who are trained and well-educated professionals, can utilize different practices that best suit each patient. Music therapy can be a powerful tool for anyone, regardless of musical experience; even if you’ve never touched a musical instrument in your life, musical therapy can still be a valuable route for mental health services. Isobell, a 17-year-old interviewed by the New York Times for their piece “How Music Therapy Can Soothe Anxiety and Improve Mental Health,” used music therapy as a way to help her anxiety and depression. Isobell tried two different medications to help with her anxiety and depression, but neither was effective. After working with music therapist Caitlin Bell at the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at Mount Sinai-Union Square in New York, Isobell found that music therapy was incredibly effective, describing its value for helping her express difficult emotions and experiences. Because of music therapy, Isobell no longer has to take her medication.
Music Improves Social Connection and Cognition
Music serves as a medium for social interactions. Group activities such as singing in a choir or playing in drumming circles (an activity often utilized by music therapists) can provide a sense of belonging and community. Having an outlet for social connection is crucial for mental health, as feelings of isolation can worsen mental health issues. Performing as a group can also increase each player’s sense of coordination, cooperation, and empathy.
Music is also helpful in maintaining our cognitive functions. According to Ewa A. Miendlarzewska and Wiebke J. Trost, the complexities of playing music engage a wide variety of neural functions that can improve a musician’s motor skills, improvisation, and memorization abilities. It also allows musicians to gain higher plasticity, or the brain’s ability to adapt and change. When children start gaining musical training from an early age, it can make a significant impact on furthering their cognitive development, including improvements in listening and linguistic abilities, academic performance, and social skills. Similarly, having a life of musical experience can help older populations preserve cognitive functions, including memory, verbal expression, and motor skills. It can also be useful for older populations to “challenge” their brains by listening to new music.
The benefits of music for mental health are vast and varied, ranging from emotional expression to cognitive development. As the field of music therapy and research surrounding music evolves, it is clear that music serves not only as an art form but also as a powerful tool to promote and preserve mental well-being.
Photo credit: Soundtrap