THE POWER OF MUSIC
March 05 2024 – Delikate Rayne
You may have noticed how listening to music influences your mood. Sometimes, listening to a pumped-up song during a workout fills you with energy, or when you’re feeling emotional and a breakup song just makes it worse. Music is powerful and can do more than influence your mood. In fact, music has all sorts of emotional and cognitive benefits. Today, we’re bringing you some of the ways music can make your life at least a little better.
Music as a source of pleasure and enjoyment - Listening to music often puts us in a good mood, especially if we’re listening to something upbeat. Tunes also help turn something that could be mundane into an experience filled with excitement and atmosphere. For example, listening to music you enjoy during morning commutes helps turn the time you spend traveling into time for yourself instead of just time to get from point A to point B. You could also have some tunes playing to liven up cooking or household chores.
Music has shown to also be effective in treating anxiety, depression, and pain. VeryWell Mind has reported that many people have used music to help them get through the pandemic. Whether it’s singing with others, listening to tunes as a distraction or to help cheer them up, music was key to maintaining their mental health.
Music as a form of relaxation and emotion management - Music helps set our mood, so listening to something calming, such as classical music, helps us feel more relaxed. Playing soothing music when going to bed could also help you sleep better! For some, music has become a more spiritual experience, helping them connect to themselves and how they feel the music in their soul. You could also use music intentionally: listening to particular songs to get yourself into a certain mindset, be it motivated or relaxed. However, it is important to note the flipside: that music could enhance a sour mood and worsen your mental state, so be mindful of your mood and what you decide to listen to!
Music supporting cognitive performance - Background music can in fact help you work better and faster! Upbeat music often boosts processing speed, and when working out, it helps set the rhythm and motivate you to keep up the pace. Music also helps distract you from the physical discomforts of exercising, helping you reach your exercise goals or surpassing them!
Some research has also supported the idea of music facilitating memory. When learning to music we enjoy, the music helps create a positive association with the memory formation. Additionally, there is research looking into music as treatment for Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Music and eating - As surprising as it seems, listening to music might help you eat less and therefore help you control your weight! Appreciating music while you eat creates a more relaxed atmosphere and helps you focus on the act of eating. This increased mindfulness will help you become more aware of when you start to feel full.
Words by: Panisara Jaijongkit