"At some point in our lives, music becomes an integral part of our lives," says Laura Francescucci, executive director and founder of Say Yes Music. "When a relationship ends, or we encounter a hardship, music can reach out and bring us back to a moment that felt full of love and life. In those times, when things seem to be against us, music provides a message of hope, peace, and comfort."
If you can't afford to make your entire life a musical experience, Francescucci encourages having at least one music choice on hand to look forward to when things get tough. This could be an uplifting and memorable song that can come to mind when you need a pick-me-up. Or, Francescucci recommends choosing a song or artist that reminds you of a time when you had an especially good moment in your life. In doing so, you'll have something that can remind you that you can and will get through this tough time.
Music can be immensely powerful, it can make you feel happy. "People are saying 'I love listening to music on my headphones constantly because of the power that music has,'" Francescucci explains. "Music is for everyone and they should be able to experience it if they want."
Reduces Symptoms Of Depression
Music can be incredibly therapeutic. A study published in the journal Scientific Reports found that listening to upbeat music during a depressive episode can reduce some symptoms, like feeling sad and hopeless, lowering a person's heart rate, and causing them to feel more positive overall.
When in the midst of a depressive episode, you might be unsure of how to cope, so Francescucci recommends picking up a few albums and putting them on shuffle."Choose songs that are uplifting and give you a change of pace. You'll probably end up listening to the happy song more than you would have thought, and it will make your day!"
Reduces Anxiety, Better Sleep, And Calmness
Research has shown that classical music, like those that are upbeat and have a steady tempo, can calm down the mind. There is even evidence to suggest that listening to music before bed can ease stress and help people fall asleep faster.
There is also evidence that music can have an impact on your sleep patterns. In a study published in the journal Sleep, researchers found that listening to music may lead to better sleep quality and reduce nighttime awakenings in people with chronic insomnia. The music people listened to helped them fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, which, as Francescucci explains, "helps promote restorative sleep, which provides the brain time to recuperate, producing restorative processes and improving mood."
Improves Social Skills
Just because music is therapeutic doesn't mean that you should only listen to music when you're feeling sad. Francescucci says that it can improve social skills. "There are studies on people playing music together that show that people have better social and communication skills when they listen to music together," she says.
Music that is performed in front of an audience also facilitates empathy. And, the same is true of music that is performed by a single performer, like a solo artist.
Healing Effects On The Body
Healing is more than an intangible concept, and music has the power to bring physical changes to your body. Studies show that listening to music can actually help to strengthen the immune system, which helps the body to fend off the harmful influences that can come along with the stresses and strains of everyday life.
Music and arts therapy has also been shown to help with depression and PTSD. One study published in the journal Health Psychology found that patients with PTSD benefited from music-based therapies after their therapy sessions. Music therapy was found to be "surprisingly effective" in combating PTSD, and was even more effective for those patients who had music therapy in addition to traditional talk therapy.
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