September 24, 2023
Written/Edited by: Fidha and Mana
How does your favorite song make you feel?
One of the ways that many people choose to relax is through listening to music. Whether it is the catchy lyrics or a tune that simply gets stuck in our head for days, music is an incredibly calming tool for any mood. Interestingly, music and mental health are highly intertwined and have a great effect on one another. Have you ever heard a song and began to feel much sadder than you were a few moments ago? Or suddenly feeling elated means you need a completely different playlist on? It is safe to say that music has a great effect on our emotional well-being; let's discuss more about how this effect can impact our mental health.
Why is music so relaxing?
The science behind these effects of music on mental health have been researched by various experts; the benefits are undeniable.
Regarding listening to music, which is assumedly a common pastime (even a habit!) for most of us teens, we can link boosts in mood directly to the neocortex[1]. Fun fact, this part of our brain is split into four lobes on each side. It occupies the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes (approximately half of our entire working brain). As we all are most likely aware of, music contains repeating rhythms. These sounds travel all of the way to our trusty neocortex, effectively soothing impulsive urges and regulating our mood.
Tip: It’s pretty common for us teenagers to have something along the lines of a playlist to cry to, is it not? If you relate, next time you find yourself putting said playlist to use, try this: instead of continuing to listen to that one singular playlist, slowly but surely phase into more upbeat and positive songs (it doesn’t have to be right away! Make sure not to push yourself, especially if you’re feeling particularly down). Music therapists recommend letting all of your feelings out, then utilizing this method as a way to escape a continuous depressive episode.
1. The neocortex manages our attention, episodic memory, perception, and thought!
Statistics
“The average teen spends 2.5 hours per day listening to music, and over half of young adults, ages 18 to 29, report streaming music every day (compared to 24% of all adults).”
“A study done in 2019 found that college students who listened to classical music everyday for two months lowered their levels of anxiety significantly.”
A 2016 study has shown that participants who listened to music recovered from high stress situations faster than those who didn’t.
Music has been proven to lower blood pressure, heart rate, and stress hormones.
Sources:
Comments