Feeling low or stressed? Just turn on the music of your choice. Within no time, you will feel calm and relaxed. Various studies have shown that music helps you stay happy and helps to fight stress and anxiety. In today’s world, stress has become quite common.
Stress is very harmful to our mind as well as bodies. Continuous stress may even lead to mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, etc.
Various studies have shown that listening to music not only reduces our stress levels but also make us feel calmer and happier. Music helps you stay happy!
Many people still have confusion about the connection between music and happiness.
Are Music & Happiness Linked?
Many a time we have found that when we are happy or sad, we end up singing our favorite songs. Our brain controls all the actions and activities of our body. When we listen to music, it activates various parts of our minds.
Scientists believe that the maximum reaction to music comes from the right side of the brain. However, others believe that music affects both right, as well as the left hemisphere of the brain.
When we listen to music, it triggers neurons in the visual cortex and motor cortex. This is the reason why we start visualizing images and start tapping our foot while listening to music.
Also listening to music triggers the memory part of our brain. Music that triggers happy memories activates dopamine production making us feel happy.
Studies have shown that individuals taking music lessons or guitar lessons or piano lessons are much calmer under stressful situations.
How Music Helps You Stay Happy When Life Is Stressful:
– Listening Music Releases Dopamine
Dopamine or your happy hormone is a neurotransmitter that is released by your brain. Dopamine is responsible for your “feel-good state.” This neurotransmitter is responsible for emotional feelings like joy, happiness, excitement, etc.
Researches have shown that listening to music acts as an abstract reward for the brain. In response to this, the brain produces Dopamine.
– Music Alleviates Your Pain
Studies and research has shown music therapy to be very useful in the case of intensive care patients and patients undergoing cancer treatment. Patients undergoing music therapy were found to feel less pain compared to those who are not undergoing any such treatment.
When an individual is in pain, there is a chance they won’t be able to perform the task they want to do. This may cause stress. Hence, the pain has both physical as well as emotional effects.
Listening to music calms the body and brain, hence reducing the pain as well as the stress level associated with that pain.
– Music Gives You Pleasure
Music is known to have a direct effect on our emotions. Listening to a sad song may make you feel low and emotional, whereas you might feel like dancing while listening to a happy and catchy number.
We all have a playlist of our own. It contains songs that either make us feel happy or bring back our happy memories.
Hence, if you are feeling low or sad, just plug-in your playlist and listen to your favorite song. These tracks would bring a smile to your face, and you will feel happy and relaxed.
– Music Can Give You a Better Workout
You must have seen people listening to music throughout their work out session. Similarly, people are running or jogging with their headphones on. Studies have shown that listening to music during exercise gives better results.
Listening to music during workouts releases the hormone, endorphin. This increases endurance, elevates the mood, and also distracts you from any uneasiness that may have resulted because of the exercise.
– Listing Music Before Sleep Helps You Relax
Inadequate and poor-quality sleep also increases the stress level. Good quality sleep is essential for our body. It is during this time that our body relaxes. Listening to calm and soothing music before or at the time you hit the bed would help you in getting a peaceful sleep.
Conclusion
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, music is known to help us in our overall development. Music is known to improve memory, IQ, verbal intelligence, and academic performance. It is also known to be very helpful in treating Alzheimer’s disease.
If you want to de-stress yourself naturally, try to incorporate music in your day to day life. It can be in the form of listening to music, singing, or by taking classes for learning any musical instrument.
You can find much more information on living a holistic lifestyle in these free magazines and on our YouTube channel.
Author Bio:
Curtis Dean writes on behalf of Sage Music School where they base lessons on the science and research of the psychology of learning. Their effective teaching methods create confident and capable students who enjoy the happiness of making music.
