At first glance you might not think that music can be that impactful on your mental health, but research has shown it really is! In this post I will be discussing the benefits that music and musicals can have on your mental health.
Music releases dopamine:
A 2011 study found that music releases dopamine in the brain, which is a chemical that plays a role in many functions of our body such as movement and memory retention. Dopamine is also known as “the feel good chemical” because it’s release makes us feel great. Therefore if you are feeling down listening to some music you love could really bring your mood back up!
Listening to music can reduce stress:
Studies have shown that those who listen to or play music tended to recover quicker following a stressful situation that those who do not. Listening to music or watching musicals can be a very effective way to cope with stress and can have great positive impact on your mental health. Verywellmind have a great article on how to use music for stress relief here.
Music can help you process your feelings:
Sometime its can be extremely difficult to express or process how you are feeling through written words. I find that listening to songs about feelings that I am having, or things that I am passionate about allows me to better understand my feelings and know that I am not alone. If you are struggling to talk to someone and you find a song that expresses what you want to say, then why not send them a link to the song!
Music can reduce pain:
There is plentiful research about music as a form of pain relief. A review of research in 2015 showed that patients who engaged with music before, during, or after surgery tended to experience less anxiety and pain than those who chose not to listen to music. The research also found that less pain relief was required for those who listened to music.
Music and musicals provides connection:
In these challenging times it can seem impossible to find people to connect with, but music can bring us together! This could be by joining a band or theatre group, or even just finding forums online where you can talk to other people with similar music interests to yourself. This connection can be great for your mental health as it keeps us grounded and gives us a safe space to talk about our thoughts and feelings.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article I hope that music can help improve your mental health. If you enjoyed this article you might find Kathryn’s post “How music is helping me cope” an interesting read.
“Music can heal the wounds that medicine can’t touch”
Debasish Mridha
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