The Power of Sound: 5 Ways to Enhance Your Emotional Well-Being Through Healing Music

For eons, music has not only been considered a primary source of entertainment. It's also been used as a form of treatment in various cultures.

From calming the nerves to promoting the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain, listening to certain kinds of music can have several beneficial effects on one’s emotional wellness and overall well-being.

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This is not to mention that depending on the genre, tempo, and so forth, some types of music are soothing, energizing, inspiring, and even motivational. And as the common saying goes, music is food for the soul.

With this in mind, let’s explore the five (plus one) ways you can tap into the healing power of music to enhance your emotional well-being.

5+1 Ways to Enhance Your Emotional Well-Being Through Healing Music

1. Relive Memorable Moments

Everyone has some unique relationship to some good ‘ol tune. This could be one of your favorite jams from childhood, a song you usually listened to together during past family meetings or one that a special someone dedicated to you on your birthday.

Hearing such a song play may invoke some memories from the past– memories that could uplift you in your lowest moments. But it’s not just about triggering some nostalgic memories. As it turns out, music is also therapeutic in numerous other ways!

2. Music Alleviates Stress, Anxiety, and Depression

We all have certain preferences when it comes to music, right? Listening to certain songs can provide an instant boost in mood and good vibes depending on your specific preferences.

According to Shahram Heshmat Ph.D. on Psychology Today, scores of research have shown that music can significantly alleviate stress and even anxiety.

Actually, music has been used therapeutically in clinical settings as a complementary treatment for various mental ailments, including:

• Mitigating chronic anxiety and depression - Along with other forms of treating anxiety and depression, music is an effective complementary treatment in helping deal with anxiety and depression.

• Supporting the treatment of dementia – Music may be used alongside other treatments and therapies to help dementia patients lead a peaceful and stress-free life. Listening to music helps boost and improve a patient’s short-term quality of life. It does the same to family members of those suffering from dementia

3. Enhanced Cognitive Functions

Those who play background music while engaged in demanding cognitive tasks have been found to have improved processing speeds.

Well, this could be translated differently, considering that not all music genres could be termed as productive as there are more distracting types of songs out there. But you get the gist, hopefully!

4. Music in Pain Management

Pain is a response to any external or internal stimulus in or on the human body. Patients undergoing painful forms of treatment are not only stressed but are depressed. The good news is that music can help your body handle pain better.

A past research study by the University of Utah2 revealed that music can help reduce pain by activating sensory pathways in the nervous system that compete with pain pathways. In layman's terms, listening to music can provide an emotional and intellectual distraction powerful enough to reduce pain or help you deal with it better.

5. Promoting Happiness

One of the feel-good hormones3, dopamine, which is associated with promoting happiness, is usually released after there are some “happy” triggers in the brain. This usually has a positive impact on not only a person’s mental state but their physiological and emotional well-being as well.

While lifestyle and other factors cannot be overlooked, people who appreciate music in its entirety may be happier than those who do not.

The good thing is that whether you’re at work, relaxing at home, engaging in yoga, or meditating in your favorite chill spot, there’s an endless list of tunes that can provide just the right vibe for the moment.

6. Music on Life Expectancy

In countries like the US, life expectancy statistics have shown a significant upward trajectory4 over the years. But in today’s fast-paced lifestyle, these numbers increasingly continue to face several conspicuous threats.

For instance, inflation and fierce competition in the world of business are well-known causes of spikes in job-related stress levels where people have to work longer hours, leaving them fatigued and depressed. These are catalysts to some well-known health conditions such as blood pressure, heart diseases, and diabetes to mention but a few.

Make no mistake, a good diet, proper lifestyle habits, and following your doctor's advice are absolute ways to maintain good health and live longer.

Nonetheless, incorporating music in your lifestyle can help you blow off some steam after a long day at work or play, improve your sleep, and ward off stress; a leading enemy of long, healthy life. So, perhaps a prescription of some Marvin Gaye songs could help you live longer?

While there’s more research needed to ascertain the truths behind some theories, music remains to be food for the soul. Whether it's in a contemporary setting or any other, you have every reason to listen to some soul-refreshing tune whenever you get the chance. Incorporating music into your life can help combat stress, promote sleep, and enhance emotional well-being, making it a powerful tool for self-care.

Quoted References:

1. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-choice/202210/6-ways-music-can-reduce-your-stress

2. https://healthcare.utah.edu/press-releases/2012/01/study-assesses-pain-relieving-benefits-music

3. https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/happy-hormones

4. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1040079/life-expectancy-united-states-all-time/