May is Mental Health Awareness Month so, as music enthusiasts, we thought now was the perfect time to talk about how music can help your mental health.
Whether you suffer from stress, anxiety or depression, we have 6 benefits that are backed up by science (!) that show how music can improve your mental well-being. Read on to discover more…
Improves focus
Did you know that certain types of music can help improve your focus? So, if you need to concentrate on a piece of work, or you need help studying why don’t you give these music genres a go?
Not the most popular music type, but classical music has been known to help focus whilst EDM (electronic dance music) can assist by sharpening your focus while studying.
Expression
Whether you enjoy playing an instrument, singing or listening to it, music is an amazing way to express your emotions and let your creativity flow. Sometimes there are no words to describe or explain how you feel, so by doing this through music, it’s the perfect way to get your feelings out in the open whilst also giving you a moment of calm and relief.
Lifts Mood
Have you ever wondered why you feel better when you listen to happy up-beat music? Well, music has an effect on the brain!
When you play your favourite “Positive Vibes Only” playlist, it stimulates your brain which causes an increase in feel-good hormones, which in turn makes you feel lighter, happier and brighter!
Boost Confidence
Often if you suffer with your mental health, your confidence can quite often also be low, so why not give this a try to boost your self-esteem?
Binaural beat music has been proven to assist in anxiety and low confidence. When you listen to binaural beat music, it is believed that your brain syncs up to the new frequency introduced by the music, altering your brain state to a more happy, confident one.
Relaxation
If you need to de-stress and find a moment of peace, it has been noted that the calming sounds of piano, nature and string instruments improves mood and induces relaxation on both the body and the mind.
Express Anger
Although we often listen to music to find calm and boost our mood, we sometimes need to let out our anger and stresses alongside other negative emotions that we keep stored up. Keeping these emotions under wraps isn’t healthy, so why not listen to some “angry” music – it can be very therapeutic when you are already stressed or angry. Listening to this type of music can also help us process these negative feelings.
How do you like to relieve your stress and anxiety with music? Do you have a particular playlist that you like to listen to? Share your thoughts and comments below…
