Music has unique capabilities, one of which is to act almost as a medicine for your mind. For some of us, we use music to cope or to relate to life. There is just something about certain songs or lyrics that seems to speak to us. Even when we don’t realize it, music can affect our mental health, and it just might be therapeutic.
In this guide, we will take a closer look at how music can soothe your soul and benefit your mental health. Keep reading to learn more!
Don’t Neglect Mental Health Care
While music is therapeutic and is often integrated into mental health rituals, it is still important to work with a professional. When you need mental health care, don’t neglect to work with a professional to get the help you need. We recommend looking for the best online therapy that takes insurance to see if you can find a good fit.
Online resources are nice because they are convenient and can be used whenever you need them. Use the tools that your professional therapy provider offers, and use music to benefit your mental health in between visits!
Music Reduces Anxiety and Depression
Music is ultimately a distraction for your mind. You might not feel distracted, and in fact, you might feel like music helps you focus better. This is because you can listen to music and still accomplish other things in most cases. Listening to music distracts your mind from things that cause stress, anxiety, and depression.
The type of music you listen to might also have an effect here. Listen to music that maintains calm vibes for the best results. In most studies that have looked at how music soothes anxiety and depression, they use classical music. You may find that you prefer jazz or something else that is lighthearted.
What happens is the music distracts your mind from whatever the situation may be that is causing depression or anxiety in your mind. While the music literally soothes your mind, your stress hormones significantly decrease.
Manage Emotions Through Music
Music is often used to help manage emotions. How often do you start blaring music because you’re feeling upset in some way? Perhaps your boss ticked you off at the office, so you get in your car and turn the radio up full blast. This is just one example. Many of us relate to the music we listen to, and turning it on is almost like an instant relief from our emotions.
The professional recommendation is to listen to music that isn’t related to your emotional situation. If you’re feeling sad, don’t listen to sad music. If you are feeling angry, don’t listen to angry music. Instead, choose a completely different style of music. However, studies show that any music can soothe your emotions better than no music at all.
Music You Can Relate To
In some cases, music becomes the only way we know how to cope with our thoughts and feelings. We can’t always put into words how we feel, but the music seems to speak to our minds. All of a sudden, the music provides clarity into exactly how you feel. You can use this to help communicate with others about your feelings, too.
Try this exercise:
1. When a song speaks to you, look up the lyrics
2. Listen to the song with focused attention
3. Pick out what lyrics seem to affect you the most
4. Share those with others to share your feelings and portray how you feel
5. Now, listen again and see if anything new stands out or your feelings change
Sometimes, music can put words to your feelings. You relate to what the singer has to say, and you can then share those feelings with others to help communicate your feelings.
Does the Type of Music Affect Your Mental Health?
It’s unclear whether the type of music affects your mental health in negative ways. There are mixed responses to the question of whether certain types of music might make your mental state worse. In some cases, there are genres of music and types of lyrics that might build your depression and anxiety. While it feels soothing in the moment, it’s potentially creating a worse effect on your mind. Especially students utilize power of music and lyrics as an assignment help.
All of the studies recommend using classical or lighthearted music to soothe your mental health as opposed to things like heavy rock. It just might make a difference when you’re going through a hard time.
Music has much to offer when it comes to your mental health. Use it to help you heal and soothe things like anxiety or depression. It’s a valuable tool that is effective when used correctly.
