Mind4Youth

Author: Leah Christensen

Music is one of the most popular forms of entertainment, whether it is driving around listening to it in the car with your friends, or listening to music in order to relax after a long day. Did you know that music can also be used as a tool to benefit your mental health? It is well known that music gives people joy, but it is actually scientifically proven to be beneficial for your mental health and the great part is it costs no money at all! This article will explore these benefits such as: how music can be used to boost productivity, learn about yourself which fosters self connection, and how it validates your emotions which is a common practice in therapy. Music is also a great way to find a community of like minded people!

Lane (2022) published a study through the NIH (The National Institutes of Health) where they found a link between positive performance at work in relation to listening to music that promotes positive emotions. Music is subjective, so for example, you may really love one song that another does not like. One song may make you feel a certain way and boost your mood but it might not do the same for someone else. Music is interesting in this way, it allows you to figure out what you like in a piece of art and why, which not only improves your productivity from these positive feelings but allows you to connect to yourself which fosters self connection.

Why is self connection important? Self connection may seem like a selfish concept, however it is a practice that not only benefits ourselves but benefits our relationships and allows us to give more to others. According to Brainz Magazine, self connection allows us to understand what truly makes us fulfilled, helps with self acceptance, creates trust in ourselves, and strengthens our relationships because we better understand the value of them in our lives. So how can you foster self connection through a song? Think of a song that currently resonates with you right now, is it because of the music or lyrics? If it is the music, what kind of emotion is it making you feel and why? If it’s the lyrics, why are the words resonating with you so much? These are a few examples of reflection questions you can ask yourself when listening to music that help you connect with how you truly feel in a moment and understand why that may be so.

With these questions in mind, music is also a great way to validate your own emotions. In a study conducted by Kawakami et al. (2014) it was found that participants who listened to sad music actually reported feeling pleasant emotions. They discussed that often it is difficult to feel an emotion such as sadness on one’s own. However music can be a tool used to release and feel your emotions because it almost gives you a guide to doing so through storytelling with lyrics, and patterns of the music itself which evoke certain emotions. Feeling positive emotions from listening to sad music can act as a companion to validate your own emotions. 

Music also fosters companionship by helping one find community. Many people will listen to music that aligns with their values and ideals, or how they want to present themselves in the world. Music has provided a safe place for various communities and helps us celebrate who we are and again validates our human experiences. 

Here is a way you can use music as a tool right now in order to benefit your mental health. Creating playlists is a way I personally like to organize my music, that way I have songs all in one place for the different moods I might be in. Every month you could create a playlist based on what you are feeling in the moment. Limit it to 5-10 songs to keep it concise and focused so that they are memorable. These songs could be a range of different music, they do not all have to be sad or all happy. It could be a mix, whatever feels right to you! Be intentional about the songs and thourougly think about why you are putting them in the playlist. Make sure they are validating and feel aligned with how you are feeling or what is going on in your life. In a few months time you will be able to look back and reflect on the changes in your life and your mood. You can do this with each month to remember exactly how you were feeling and what you were thinking. I have playlists from years ago and whenever I listen to them, I always remember exactly where I was in my life, and it is a great way to reflect and appreciate memories. Music is not only something we listen to for pleasure, but a tool that can be used to improve our mental health. 

References

Frost, A. (2024, January 5). How music can improve your mental health. The Jed Foundation. https://jedfoundation.org/resource/how-music-can-improve-your-mental-health/ 

Kawakami, A., Furukawa, K., & Okanoya, K. (n.d.). Music evokes vicarious emotions in listeners. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262941027_Music_evokes_vicarious_emotions_in_listeners 

Njombua-Fombad, A. (2021, April 8). Why self-connection is crucial to growth and becoming. Brainz Magazine. https://www.brainzmagazine.com/post/why-self-connection-is-crucial-to-growth-and-becoming Sanseverino, D., Caputo, A., Cortese, C. G., & Ghislieri, C. (2022, December 24). “don’t stop the music,” please: The relationship between music use at work, satisfaction, and performance. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9855069/