By Amy Doyle
Whether you listen to Bon Jovi or One Direction, Iron Maiden or Chappel Roan, there is a form of music out there that is sure to boost your mood on a bad day. But how does it do this and is music actually good for us?
In recent studies, it has been found that music increases our dopamine levels by around 9%, strengthening the idea that music has a positive impact on mental health. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and hormone that allows us to feel pleasure and motivation as well as benefiting our memory, attention and movements.
Dopamine allows your blood vessels to relax and reduces lymphocyte activity within your immune system. So why is dopamine beneficial to our mental health? The simple answer is that it makes us feel happier. High dopamine levels reduce symptoms of depression and fatigue leading you to feel more energised and attentive throughout the day. Listening to music therefore can increase your mood, allowing you to feel happier and less fatigued.
As well as increasing dopamine levels, studies on healthy adults have found that listening to music decreased heart rate and blood pressure. Decreasing heart rate and blood pressure leads to a more efficient cardiovascular system and reduces the strain on your heart. By reducing this strain, you are reducing the risks of strokes and heart attacks. Therefore, listening to music has a huge benefit on our physical wellbeing.
Furthermore, music directly affects the amygdala. This is the part of our brain that regulates our emotions. Music can help control and calm these emotions, reducing the levels of things such as alertness and excitement. It allows us to feel relaxed and calm.
A 2019 study found that college students who listened to music everyday for 2 months had lowered anxiety levels than their peers. It is estimated that music can reduce anxiety levels by up to 65%. Furthermore, in an earlier study it was found that listening to music also decreased stress levels. This is because listening to music decreases our cortisol levels. Cortisol is known as the ‘stress hormone’ meaning that reduced levels of this allow for reduced feelings of stress. Therefore, listening to music naturally decreases the chances of depression and anxiety, resulting in a more content college and daily life.
But what if you are in a bad mood and just want to listen to some gut-wrenching, tear-jerking music? Well, research has actually found that even listening to sad music can lead to some dopamine being released, allowing the pain to be lessened but also feel comfortable in the sense that the song reflects how you feel. A good song can make you feel seen and heard and show you that you are not experiencing your emotions alone. Listening to a sad song whilst also having the lyrics up can deepen the feeling of being understood and ultimately make you feel better and listened to, despite not actually speaking to someone. It is recommended that you do speak to someone if you are struggling, music is just a good first step that can help you understand your feelings a bit better before physically talking to someone.
So is listening to music good for you? Yes, listening to music can greatly improve both your mental and physical health, allowing you to feel better within yourself and therefore making you a more easy-going and happier person in general. No matter your mood or situation, music is proven to boost your immune system, reduce stress, heart rate and blood pressure and have significant improvements to your physical health and sleep patterns.
