The Merry Season is upon us! And what makes things even merrier is the music that comes with the Holiday Season. Have you noticed that the season’s music gets played on radios even months earlier than December? Have you ever wondered how this makes us feel? Music and wellness do go together. Music cuts thru cultures and it truly enjoyed by all. We all have our choice of music preference, but did you know that music contributes to our wellbeing?
Music and Wellbeing
Let’s cover the different aspects of wellness and how music affects it.
Music and Our Emotions
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Who has not been moved while watching a favorite movie with its musical theme playing at its iconic scenes? And it isn’t just the good characters of a movie that have their own ‘theme songs’. Think of Darth Vader.. and for sure you know his musical theme, right? We remember because we have had emotions struck by them.
Great musical composers and directors know how to create sound to bring out particular emotions in us. They’re able to ‘plant that seed’ of yearning during dramatic love scenes. They know which songs will rally up the emotions of viewers as an army of soldiers battle through a field. They know what instruments to use for mellow and sentimental encounters.
Clearly, we know and have felt the power of music for moving our emotions. We either become melancholic and reflective, to hyper and active. Take Spotify, for example. They are able to organize their music, not only into genres but into moods as well! Because music is a mood/ emotion enhancer.
Music and Our Focus/Mental Power
Aside from music being a mood enhancer, it also helps our brain in mental ability. During the Buddhist monks’ chanting hours, it was studied that their chanting serves a purpose beyond honoring Buddha. It was found that chanting at certain tones/decibels creates vibrations in the brain. These vibrations have an effect on the brain to reach a conscious state of meditation wherein the brain is fully alive, alert, with higher clarity and focused awareness while the entire body is at rest and reflective. What is the wonderful part of chanting/ Mantra Chanting? It has wonderful effects of lowering stress levels!
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Have you ever crammed for an exam or to finish off a presentation? Did you use music to help you keep focused? Studies on college students have found that those who studied with classical music of their choice actually rated higher scores. The enjoyable environment played a part in giving the students a more relaxed space and therefore led to absorbing lessons better and improved memory retention.
It was discovered that music can release dopamine in two main places in the brain, the dorsal and ventral striatum. When you are having a pleasurable experience, such as listening to your favorite song, these areas of the brain light up.
However, not all music needs to be ‘traditional format”. There are other ‘sounds’ that can be considered audio options, such as white noise, background 2-tone sounds. Crystal Raypole, a former writer and editor for GoodTherapy, says this in her article, Music, and Studying: It’s Complicated, on Healthline.com, July 2020: “Choosing music carefully can help you maximize its benefits, but if you still struggle to focus, it may help to consider white noise or other audio options instead”.
Music and Healing
A study in 2015 found that people who listened to music before, during, or after surgery experienced less pain and anxiety compared to those who didn’t listen to music. – reference from Healthline.
Isn’t that an amazing effect of music on our wellbeing? It not only heals us emotionally but physically as well! 7,000 patients from 73 various trials tested this and found that patients that enjoy music and had music during surgery required less pain medication vs. those that did not enjoy music.
Music can also help with chronic conditions, including dementia, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.
Tips to Try
We have a shortlist of some tips to try when putting on music for wellbeing:
- Maximize music apps! Spotify has great suggestions for mood, for occasions, aside from the regular genre category. Go ahead and browse!
- Explore music/artists outside of your favorites. It’s always good to expand your horizons. New artists may bring a good mood to your experience.
- Create your own playlist. Like a song on the radio or even thru your latest Netflix show? Look it up and add it to your playlist. Having your own playlist gives you easy access to your favorite songs. Create different playlists if you wish–for study, for exercise, for calm, for mood, for relaxation. The great feature about Spotify is that it eventually learns your selection and suggests and mixes other playlists.
- Go with what feels good. If Classical music ain’t your thing for focus, then don’t fret over it. Listen to what makes you feel good. Feeling melancholic at the moment? Go play your favorite blues or song that pulled those heartstrings. Sometimes we just need to have music be our companion to comfort us.
Bonus! Here are 2 FYFG’s Favorite Spotify Playlists from the Coaches:-)
Coach Mia’s Workout Playlist!
Coach Bunny’s Chill & Relax Playlist
Imagine If
Imagine your life and the ‘musical score’ you’d play it with. Is it “Spotify-worthy”? We think so! Everyone has their own choice of music that goes along with different experiences in life. We may have music for relaxation, for exercise, for focus, and even for sleep! Whatever it is, make music a part of your overall wellbeing! It surely makes life worth enjoying!