Music is a powerful thing. We hear it at celebrations, funerals, and in games and movies. Besides its entertainment value, music has an incredible positive effect on our brain. It influences the way we feel, think and act, such as our eating speeds, how we shop for goods and even our immunity. Below are five potential benefits of making music part of your daily routine.
Stress reduction
Music is a source of stress reliever that should not be underestimated. Be it in the background or specifically chosen by the listener, certain genres of music have an ability to reduce stress. Ambient and soft music provide a calming stimulation for the mind. This is particularly useful when one is going through a stressful period in their life. In such cases, it would be ideal to avoid loud rock or metal music to moderate your stress. To ease away some of your stress, look for playlists, which contain ambient and calm music.
Boost mood and motivation
Our mental wellbeing strives for an optimistic experience of positive feelings. However, this is not always the case. When we are having a bad day, one thing that can help our motivation is playing an uplifting and joyous song. Starting your day with bright musical tones can help lift your mood, leaving you empowered towards your day. When you have a long day ahead or you lack motivation to start a particular task, a fast-paced and up-tempo music selection can get your body moving and your brain motivated to start your day. The best mood-boosting types of music include classical and ambient songs.
Improve focus
Another great benefit from listening to music is that it can be part of your daily routine while you are doing other stuff. It sometimes gets challenging staying focused and concentrated on one particular activity, like working or studying. Some types of music are known to improve focus such as classical, instrumental and ambient music. Perhaps music without lyrics allows individuals to remain focused, especially during a challenging task.
Allow relaxation
Undoubtedly, everyone enjoys switching off and relaxing their body and mind, especially after a long day. Listening to music is a simple way through which you can promote relaxation of the body, as it releases tensions that are held in your muscles. Loosening such muscle tensions, pushes away the stress and anxiety held in our minds. In fact, music can help slow your breathing and rest your mind.
Reduce anxiety and depression
Learning about how music affects you and your mood goes a long way to support yourself when you are feeling anxious or sad. Music therapy has become an increasingly popular way of treating symptoms of anxiety and depression. This involves both listening and composing music as a way of promoting mental and physical rehabilitation. Classical, instrumental and ambient music can help reduce certain types of anxiety.
Wrapping up
Music has the powerful ability to make us dance as if nobody’s watching, sing excitedly under the shower and tap our feet uncontrollably. With all the music out there, different genres affect every individual uniquely. Listening to music can trigger particular emotions, thoughts and memories in our brain that often lead to positive effects in our life. So go and find the music and songs that speak to your individuality.
If you think that you can benefit from professional support about the benefits of listening to music you can book an appointment here.
Charlot Cauchi is a Trainee Gestalt Psychotherapist currently reading for a Masters in Gestalt Psychotherapy with Gestalt Psychotherapy Training Institute Malta (GPTIM) and working at Willingness as a Trainee Psychotherapist. He has experience with adult clients with mental health difficulties, anxiety, depression, loss, trauma, stress and relational issues.
References
Loveday, C. (2017). Why the music we love as teenagers stays with us for life. BBC Radio 3.
Rhodes, E. (2018). From openings to the power of music. The Psychologist. 31, 16-17.