Introduction
When walking through the halls, at a store, or in other public areas, music is everywhere. Music through earbuds in the ears of students getting to their next class, music quietly playing in a grocery store, almost unnoticeable, and music playing on the radio while driving from one place to the other. We all listen to music daily, even if we don't notice. Most people find music to be calming, and depending on the genre and song, it can even bring us to feel specific emotions. We all have this feeling, but why? Why do songs and music move us to be happy, sad, or even upset? How can music calm us and reduce our stress levels, or even cause us more stress?
Music and the Brain
When you think of many events through life, you will see that we play music in all of them. When a baby is born, its parents sing it calming and soothing lullabies. We see similar effects with Alzheimer’s patients. Studies have shown that if Alzheimer’s patients can’t remember material things such as names or places, they are more likely to remember songs from their childhood or other major events in their life such as their wedding. Listening to music can increase memory capacity in the same ways that reading a book can, due to the repetitive patterns and melodies in music. For many people this repetition is similar to singing the ABC’s over and over again. Scientists say that when we play or listen to music, the blood flow increases to the part of the brain that controls our emotions and feelings toward something or someone. The reason you are likely to remember all the words to your favorite songs is because of the emotions that they make you feel. Another part of this would be the repetition of you listening to the songs. Listening to the songs over and over again can cause them to get ‘stuck in your head.’ If you get a strong physical feeling such as chills, that is a result of increased dopamine in the brain being released to the rest of the body. This physical feeling can also be felt with songs that we have never even heard of before, or songs that we haven’t heard in a long time. It is often this physical feeling that draws us to song in the first place.
Stress and Mental Health
In times of pain, people are often drawn to listen to music to distract themselves. When you are at the gym, they have music playing. Many times, when there is a loved one who has passed away, there is slower and sad music playing at the funeral, telling our brain that this should be a sad and serious time. Fast paced music can often make us feel happy and upbeat, while slower and quieter music can cause our bodies to relax our muscles and reduce our stress. The best music to reduce stress would be quiet jazz or classical music. Some music played in movies, such as the main theme from the movie Jaws, causes us stress! Songs that we don’t like trigger us to react in a negative way, like skipping the song on our phone or turning the volume down. Mental health is a huge struggle for people of all ages and it is now being noticed that music can drastically help people in their struggle with mental health. Music reduces stress hormones in the body as well as lowering your blood pressure and heart rate. All of these things contribute greatly to your stress levels and mental health. Another thing to consider when looking to improve mental health with music is to look at what story the music is telling. The best type of music to listen to is music that reflects the opposite of any negative emotions or experiences that you are experiencing. This allows you to focus on the good rather than the bad. Showing an interest in music genres is a way to express yourself. Find a style and genre that you enjoy.
Conclusion
Music is a language that we all understand. From the time our parents sing us asleep to the time we grow old, we can all enjoy music. Music can bring us together and shine a light of hope. Music can help you get through the highs and lows of your life as well as the lives of people around you. Next time you listen to music, think of the way it makes you feel and if this is the best thing for you to listen to when trying to reduce stress, strike up emotions, or connect with a group of people around you.
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