How music can alter our moods

It is no surprise that some people like to put headphones and listen to loud music sometimes, blocking out the world. It’s very therapeutic and can be a great stress-reliever.

I’m sure everyone reading this right now can name one or more songs that can bring you to tears, pump you up, excite you or give you goosebumps.  You’ve probably chosen music to evoke a particular reaction in your brain, like putting on a motivational playlist at the gym to get your workout going.

Music often creates strong tendencies to move in coordination with the music. Our heart rate speeds up or slows down to match the music and begin to move with the song.

This is because music has a huge effect on the human brain emotionally. The release of dopamine is considered a natural antidepressant, which occurs during moments when you are enjoying a song, whether sad or not.

This is where music therapy comes into play as well. According to the British Association for Music Therapy, music is helpful for psychological, cognitive and communicative needs. Helping mental health patients through music therapy is useful, as it relies on the sensory stimulation to provoke a positive response to certain situations.

Music is a great way to stress relief too, during situations when you feel you cannot think straight or feel that you need to step away for a while. It can help you to feel more relaxed and give you a piece of mind before dealing with the stressful situation again, except you feel more refreshed and open to thinking differently than before.

Music is a great way to help shape us into the emotions we want to feel, such as during diners, exercise, parties or when we are alone. It is one of the most amazing ways to have a more positive outlook on yourself and life.