Music therapy is a simple and affordable way to reduce stress and anxiety or provide health benefits such as lowering blood pressure.
Music therapy has surprising benefits for mental health and can be used as a therapy for both mental and physical rehabilitation. The link between music and mental health has been found to reconcile the benefits with the mind and body.
In this article, we’ll take a look at how music can improve mental health, read on to find out more!
How Does Music Improve Mental Health?
Since the brain-music connection, experts have been trying to understand how our brain hears and plays music. One way music can affect well-being is its ability to lift a person’s mood or sense of wellbeing.
Different music styles can have a significant impact on a person’s mood as they can help a person experience and process a wide range of emotions ranging from happiness and excitement to sadness, calm, and thoughtfulness.
The effects of music on people are not well understood, but studies show that the brain releases a chemical called dopamine, which has a positive effect on mood when you listen to music at the will.
For example, if you struggle with clinical depression and take antidepressants, listening to therapeutic music at home can increase your chances of feeling happy. While listening to relaxing music before a stressful event can also help with anxiety symptoms.
Research shows that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain and improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory. Studies also suggest that music promotes aerobic exercise, stimulates mental and physical stimulation, and improves overall performance.
Listening to relaxation music (think slow tempo, low pitches, and lyrics) has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety in both healthy people and people with mental illnesses.
We know that listening to music stimulates many parts of the brain, promotes brain connectivity, reduces stress, and promotes well-being. It has a high therapeutic value for both healthy individuals and those suffering from mental illness and diseases such as stroke, Parkinson’s, and dementia.
Positive Effects Of Listening To Music
Research has shown the benefits of music therapy for a range of mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, autism, trauma, and schizophrenia. Music acts as a medium for coping with emotions such as trauma and grief and can be used as a regulating and calming agent for anxiety and mood disorders.
Although music therapy can not cure mental health, it can provide short-term benefits by improving mood and promoting connections and self-expression.
Some positive effects of listening to music include:
- Elevates mood
- Reduces stress
- Relieves symptoms of depression
- Promotes better blood flow
- Stimulates memories
- Reduce perceived pain
- Increases workout endurance and capacity
Music has the potential to bring great joy, relieve stress, and enable self-expression. Music can be a creative outlet for many, a soothing therapy for others, and has a significant influence on our moods.
It can also be used to assist children with behavioral problems and emotional challenges. If you have a child or are looking for a new hobby, music can greatly help them. It has been found that music training can help children reduce anxiety, focus attention, and control emotions.
Final Thoughts
Music has both positive effects on the mind and body. It can encourage you to exercise or calm your mind to reduce stress. Working with a music therapist can help create a plan to select and even play musical instruments to reach your goals, whether it’s mental or physical.