Music and Mental Health

Studies have shown that listening to music releases dopamine in our brains, which makes us feel good. The amount of dopamine can increase up to 9% if you’re listening to music you enjoy. Who doesn’t feel better after singing and dancing to their favourite song?

As well as improving your overall mood, here are some more benefits of listening to music:

Having music on in the background while performing a task can improve concentration and help you complete the task to the best of your ability. For some tasks such as working or studying, instrumental music is best so you don’t get distracted by song lyrics.

Music can encourage the body and mind to relax, especially if you’re listening to something calming. Listening to music can reduce feelings of stress and help us to recover from stress more quickly. It can also help distract you from whatever is causing you stress, allowing you to return to the problem with a clear mind.

Listening to music can help to increase memory and retention of information, so it’s always a good idea to have some instrumental music on in the background when working or studying. Music can also help to trigger memories, taking you back to a time in your life that means something to you. Read more here - (Link to Vicky’s blog about music triggering memories)

Listening to classical music before bedtime has been shown to improve sleep quality and aid insomnia, as it helps to slow your heart rate and breathing, encouraging a deeper sleep.

Music can be motivational, which is why many people listen to music while exercising. If you’re struggling to find the motivation to do something, put a playlist of fast paced music on to get you ready and raring to go.

The process of listening to music can be a cathartic experience. If you’re feeling sad, listening to sad music can actually make you feel better, as it helps you to process your emotions rather than ignoring them. It can also make you feel less alone, as you can identify with the music and the person who created it. The same can be said for any negative emotion you may be feeling.

Music therapy is where music is used to help improve someone’s mental health and wellbeing. This can involve making music, singing, dancing, listening to music and talking about music. It is known to be helpful to those with depression and anxiety, and can also help improve the quality of life for those with physical health issues.

Listening to music regularly can have a huge positive effect on your mental health, so pop some music on in the background when cooking, cleaning, driving or working, and if you’re having a bad day try listening to your favourite playlist to help lift your mood.

Why not take a look at our previous blog on 'How music can trigger your memories'.