Music Should be Used as the Primary Form of Self Care, and Here is Why You Should Consider It.
In a complex and challenging society, it’s imperative we take time to do things in order to improve our mental and physical states. That can mean anything from setting a simple daily routine, practicing forms of relaxation, or implementing exercise into your everyday life. However, for me, deciding which form of self care is the most effective has always been somewhat unclear. Meditation? Running? Yes, all proven scientifically effective, however when was the last time we were able to truly sit back, relax and not have to think too hard about what or why we are doing something as a form of stress relief or self care? As a teenager, I would be emphatic about the idea of practicing self care that requires less effort, but is equally effective.
In thinking about this question, I recalled an article by Scientific American that I studied in a psychology class last spring about the positive cognitive effects of music. That piece claimed that music “makes life better in so many ways”. Ever since I was young, some of my fondest memories were rooted from music. Whether it be dancing around my room in a tutu before the age of 2, performing on the stage in musicals, listening to my wide array of Spotify playlists, or performing twice a week with my A capella group, music has served as a worriless, “no strings attached” outlet for happiness and peace in my everyday life.
But why?
Statistically, music has helped around 75% of people struggling with areas of stress, motivation and anxiety and has been known to have a long standing effect on humans mentally and physically. Despite other helpful methods of self care, through various studies conducted through the National Library of Medicine, neurologists have highlighted the clear effectiveness of music on stress and the positive long term impacts. Therefore, music should be further recognized and used as the primary method of self care.
In his novel, “This is Your Brain on Music”, neuroscientist Daniel J Levitin states: “Music listening, performance, and composition engage nearly every area of the brain that we have so far identified, and involve nearly every neural subsystem.” Levitin goes on to explain the fundamental impact and emotional attachment we have to music in today’s society.
So, what happens in the brain when a certain song comes on?
The first cognitive benefit is the impact music has on emotion and motivation. In an article by BBC news, scientists have studied that music works with two major regions within the brain, the pituitary gland and the limbic system, each working directly with evoking positive mindsets and motivation. “The feel good” chemicals within the body, endorphins and dopamine, tend to secrete based on a certain tempo, beat, or chorus of a song. Essentially this process is what elicits positive mindsets and motivation within the brain.
Likewise, music can be used within the general branch of self care as a form of relaxation. Just like how fast tempos elicit positive emotions, slower tempos have proven to reduce heart rate and blood pressure, reducing the overall effect of stress hormones. In a study through the NAMM foundation, the group further proved this idea by examining the effects of 1500 patients suffering from mental health and heart disease, finding the reduction of heart and anxiety rates. Additionally, in this same study, Dr Barry Bittman highlighted that “Playing music reduces stress and has been shown to reverse the body’s response to stress at the DNA-level”.
But, what makes music so special? Can’t exercise or meditation produce the same effect?
“The goal of music and meditation is to create a powerful and positive shift in our mental state.” Often, in meditation and yoga practices, individuals are soothed through the calm environment, however it is most common that music plays a role in this practice. Even through platforms such as the “Calm” app, a meditation app designed specifically for daily practice meditation, I can’t help but notice the major role music plays within the app, playing within the background or even setting the stage for a lesson. Although we might not have noticed it before, music takes a much larger role in self care than we might have anticipated.
Another benefit of music as the primary source of self care is the recent accessibility of streaming services. With hundreds of millions of users listening to music through platforms such as Spotify, Apple, and Amazon music, stress relief through music is more accessible than ever before. Playlist creation, for example, has allowed for users to express themselves in a safe and creative form, providing a way for individuals to explore new artists, other playlists, and even guided practices to improve states of stress or anxiety.
Essentially, music can be seen as an “escape” from the complex world around us, a way for us to cognitively distract negative or stressed minds through focusing on something more enjoyable. However, like any other method of self care, it is important that music is treated as a practice. In order for the music to prove effective, begin by consistently listening for music for at least 30 minutes a day. Through a study conducted by the JED foundation, observing the effects of individuals with a fear of heights in a stressful situation, results showed that individuals who consistently listened to music were able to recover more productively than others who did not. Although music can have a different effect on a variety of people, it’s important to note the positive long term effects music can have cognitively.
Music is not only the most effective, but has proven to be most important method of self care. Despite its lack of attention, music is the future of self care, making it truly possible to relieve the stress and anxieties of everyday life, just one song at a time.
Works Cited
Bryant, Sharon. “BENEFITS OF LEARNING AND PLAYING MUSIC FOR ADULTS.” NAMM Foundation, 1 june 2014, www.nammfoundation.org/articles/2014-06-01/benefits-learning-and-playing-music-adults?gclid=Cj0KCQiA4uCcBhDdARIsAH5jyUkQ7UXkdR2PZXfN7Sq6Ye3CY-F10jaH4-vPNCD8Il9EjAiB0y9Hco0aAj2cEALw_wcB. Accessed 17 Jan. 2023.
“Caring for Your Mental Health.” National Library of Medicine, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health. Accessed 17 Jan. 2023.
Kubicek, Lorrie. “Can music improve our health and quality of life?” Harvard University Health, 25 July 2022, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-music-improve-our-health-and-quality-of-life-202207252786. Accessed 17 Jan. 2023.
May, Cindi. “Does Music Boost Your Cognitive Performance?” Scientific American, 3 Mar. 2020, www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-music-boost-your-cognitive-performance/. Accessed 17 Jan. 2023.
Schafer, Thomas. “The psychological functions of music listening.” National Library of Medicine, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00511. Accessed 17 Jan. 2023.
Schiffman, Richard. “https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/08/well/music-therapy-treatment-stress.html." The New York Times, 8 Apr. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/04/08/well/music-therapy-treatment-stress.html. Accessed 17 Jan. 2023.
