When it comes to music, most people immediately think of their favorite song or maybe even a song that keeps getting replied to a little too much (like Baby Shark). While some songs can evoke emotions like crying, other songs have a way of just annoying people. Overall, music affects our emotions, but did you know they can affect your health? Honestly, it’s something that can be for the better. When it comes to music, how can it help transform your help?
Some use it to help express their emotions; others use it to get pumped up while they’re exercising. The beauty of music is the fact that it’s able to vary for everyone. So, here is how you can expect music to transform your health for the better!
It’s an Amazing Mood Booster
If you’ve ever welled up with tears or felt a rush of energy during a certain song, you know the power music can have. It can improve mood and ward off depression, boost immune health, lift physical performance, reduce blood pressure, lower levels of stress hormones, and even ease pain. Music triggers brain stimuli that directly affect mood, emotion regulation, memory, and attention. It has been shown to boost oxytocin and serotonin and improve focus.
It can also promote relaxation and help with sleep. Try listening to soothing or melancholy music to work through a tough time or a playlist of upbeat tunes for your workout. Rhythmic music can get your heart rate up, boost endorphins and increase your energy level.
It Has a Way of Reducing Stress
As stated above, it’s going to increase emotions, but it can also reduce your emotions too. Music can act as a stress reducer, soothing your nerves and encouraging relaxation. It can also act as a distraction from negative thoughts and feelings during a stressful time. Has there ever been a song that just instantly melts away any of the negative feelings you’re carrying? Think about certain restaurants, cafes, and even lounges. They play soft music, not just for ambiance, but they want their customers to be stress-free, happy, relaxed, and able to have a nice time at their establishment.
It Can Help with Exercise
While they say drone technology can help out in health and wellness, have you ever considered music? It’s actually a major go-to for the average person. A good song is going to immediately get the blood pumping. It’s something that most local gyms keep in mind too, but having your own Spotify or YouTube playlist of music you love can be just as fine too. So, just go ahead and think about this.
Music Can Help You Sleep
Maybe not sleep like a baby, but chances are, about as good. Babies usually need lullabies to help soothe them. But for older kids and even adults, it can do the same. Just think about it, some people need white noise or even the sound of fans in order to fall asleep. There are even apps offering sounds of nature like rain, ocean waves, birds, whales, and the list goes on and on. Noise has a way of soothing people, and that goes for music especially. For adults with insomnia, music can help them sleep better by relaxing the body and reducing stress.
It can also help patients with chronic pain sleep better by distracting them from painful sensations and boosting their mood. For those who struggle with sleep issues, try listening to soothing classical music or an audiobook before bed. Other options include sleep and relaxation apps that play a selection of songs or sound clips. Noise can disturb people, but noises have a way of soothing people into a slumber too.
You Can Expect Better Memory
Listening to music can help you learn more effectively by boosting your memory, especially when studying for tests. It sounds weird, but college-aged students who are listening to Lo-Fi or other types of music while studying are actually doing something right. There’s even been some research that helps suggests that rhythm and repetition in music can improve memorization skills. It can bring back memories, like a favorite song you heard in college or during a breakup, as well as the emotions attached to those moments. That’s why songs often have relatable lyrics that speak to a variety of experiences.
Helps You Focus
Whether you’re listening to music for work or studying, or even preparing for your first performance gig by looking into a component like Singular Sound Cable Management, music is going to help you focus. Just think about musicians for a moment; when they’re at a concert, performing to hundreds, if not thousands, they’re able to stay focused on the music. It fuels them; it helps them thrive, and they’re able to carry out the concert. With that said, the power of music can honestly do the exact same thing for you too.
So why is this even possible? Well, this is because music can stimulate the brain and increase your energy levels, allowing you to tackle difficult tasks. However, the type of music you listen to is key. For example, some people find that if they listen to familiar music, it distracts them from the task at hand because they might have to hum along. Other people find that listening to classical or ambient music helps them focus.
This is because the slow tempo and quiet nature of this type of music prevent the brain from becoming distracted. In addition, classical music can be relaxing and can provide a sense of calm. Obviously, not every song is going to do the trick, such as heavy heart-pumping music, but usual tempos are at least going to do the trick.
Music is One of the Best Ways to Relax
If you’ve had a hard day at work, maybe even a bad time, and you’re loaded with stress, then you know how important it is for you to relax. Music can help you relax and even temporarily remove you from reality, allowing you to transcend into the music. Music can be therapeutic in a way; if you think about it, it can allow you to just forget some of the struggles you’ve been dealing with.
It Can Make You Happier
While it’s already been covered earlier, music can be a mood booster, whether it’s your favorite song or band or even just a song that’s pretty catchy. But it doesn’t end there. It can have the ability to just make you happier overall, maybe not fighting depression, but it can have the ability to make you happier.
Alleviates Anxiety
Anxiety is horrible; it’s like this never-ending rain cloud on you. But music has the ability to help heal. Have you ever been sad, like dealing with a breakup, and just kept listening to songs involving that? It’s like you’re releasing those feelings. Plus, something like soothing songs lowers your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure and can also decrease cortisol, the stress hormone. Listening to music with lyrics that touch on relatable themes like falling in love or losing someone may help alleviate some anxiety by providing a reminder that you’re not alone in your struggles.
Self Empowerment
This is a major aspect of mental health, having a sense of belonging, liking yourself, and feeling comfortable with yourself. You have to remember that songs with lyrics they’re poetry, and now more than ever, there’s self-empowerment. Think of songs like “I Am a Woman” by Whitney Houston, but it doesn’t have to end there. Music gives you an identity; it gives you a sense of pride, something to be proud of.