10 ways to feel better with music
If you’ve ever experienced ‘chills’ listening to a specific song, you know how powerful music can be. Music can inspire, comfort, motivate, and relax. Single songs can bring us to tears, transport us back in time, lift our spirits or soothe our scattered minds. There really is music for every mood.
But there are also multiple science-backed benefits that show how listening to music supports our physical, mental and emotional well-being. It can regulate our emotions, boost our mood, enhance productivity levels, increase mental clarity, and even help us sleep better.
Here are some of the ways listening to music may support your self-care and well-being.
1 | Settle the mind and relax the body
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or uptight, playing some calming music could be the medicine you need. According to research, listening to a peaceful playlist can soothe stress and induce relaxation by slowing your breathing and heart rate, lowering your blood pressure, and reducing the body’s levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This makes it easier to unwind tension and let go of worries and woes.
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2 | Elevate your mood
We all have that one song that can shift our mood in seconds. And research has proven the link between music and mood, which can cause dopamine-release and help fend off depression. Make a playlist of your favorite songs so the next time you feel low, you have some mood-boosters in your back pocket. Bonus points if you sing along or dance to the music — it encourages the release of endorphins, the body’s ‘happy’ chemical.
🎧 Check out Calm’s collection of dreamy pop piano covers.
3 | Support concentration and focus
Research suggests that listening to music while you’re working on a task can improve focus, increase alertness and boost mental performance. So the next time you feel your concentration flagging, tune into some stimulating tracks to help power your attention. Just be sure to choose background music without complex lyrics to avoid unnecessary distraction.
🎧 Try Liquid Mind’s Mindfulness to heighten mental clarity. Or check out our All-Day Workflow or Lo-Fi Beats designed to help you focus.
4 | Heal heartache and grief
Many of us have experienced the pain of heartache whether through a break-up or loss. Music can be a balm that comforts and consoles. Listening to lyrics that validate our emotions can make us feel less alone, and sad songs often help us cry it out — a cathartic emotional release that may prompt the mending of our hearts. Upbeat music, on the other hand, can give us the boost we need to imagine a more hopeful future.
🎧 Connect to your heart with Julianna Barwick’s deep, reflective melodies on Healing Is A Miracle.
5 | Enhance mindfulness
Music is a powerful tool in developing our mindfulness practice. Mindful listening grounds us in the present moment and helps us witness whatever arises with less reactivity. Give it a try! Listen intentionally to music and notice its melody, rhythm and tone. Pay attention to the emotions it evokes, and if your mind wanders, bring it gently back to the music.
🎧 Sit back, close your eyes and tune into an ambient track from Nosaj Thing.
6 | Recall fond memories
Research shows that music can strengthen our memory. But it can also act as a portal to the past. When we listen to the same music repeatedly, our brain creates associations and the emotions that arise become embedded in our memory. So whenever we replay the music (even years later), we immediately reconnect with the feelings we were experiencing at the time. This is especially beneficial if we want to recall fond memories or even capture positive moments in the present.
🎧 Tap into your memory with this mix from Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs.
7 | Boost motivation and energy
There’s a reason why exercise is easier when you’re listening to music. That’s because fast-paced, upbeat music accelerates your heartbeat and gives you a burst of energy, fuelling motivation and maximizing performance. So the next time you want to get into gear or you need to start a task you’ve been putting off, try playing your favorite energizing tracks.
🎧 Tune into our Afternoon Pick-Me-Up playlist to beat the post-lunch slump. Or revel in Kaitlyn Aurelia’s stimulating frequencies on The Mosaic of Transformation.
8 | Cultivate connection
Billy Joel once said that “music is an explosive expression of humanity we are all touched by.” More than that, music has the power to bond and connect us. Studies have shown that listening to music can trigger the release of oxytocin, the ‘love’ hormone that helps us cultivate empathy, trust, and compassion for others. So the next time you feel isolated or lonely, lean on music as a way to generate a sense of belonging and connection.
🎧 Remember that you are not alone with Toro y Moi's Inclusion.
9 | Promote restful sleep
We all know how vital restful sleep is, yet so many of us struggle to get it. Music may help. Research shows that listening to relaxing melodies before bed can calm the nervous system, slow your breathing, lower your heart rate and reduce your blood pressure. This can help you fall asleep and stay asleep for longer. Try incorporating soothing music into your evening wind-down routine and notice if it has an effect.
🎧 Settle into sleep with Tom Middleton’s Moonlight on Water, which weaves together sleep and sound science in one dreamy track.
10 | Process difficult emotions
When big emotions surface, it can be hard to know what to do with them. Music activates the limbic system, the home of our emotions, so listening to songs that match our emotional experience can help us connect with and process feelings like sadness, anger, excitement and joy. It can also help us clarify and articulate our feelings, which aids emotional regulation. All you have to do is choose music that meets you where you are.
🎧 Feel your feelings with Nick Murphy’s Music for Silence.
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