Music is often described as the great healer. Some songs can help you relive a happy moment or feel more relaxed after a hard day’s work by dj transmitter gues post. One important psychological function of music is its ability to increase simple, positive emotions like joy or calmness and decrease negative emotions like stress. This basic cognitive function has been shown to affect mood, arousal levels, and even our health. There are many benefits derived from listening to music including improved sleep quality and mood regulation.
1. Relaxation
Listening to music can offer a variety of benefits in everyday life. Some people listen to music to unwind after a long day or prepare themselves for sleep, while others find themselves more relaxed after listening to their favorite song. This positive effect is generally the result of music’s ability to induce positive emotions like joy and happiness. For instance, classical piano pieces are known for their calming and relaxing influence on listeners. The study conducted by Dr. Richard Petty found that listening to classic and popular songs which were extremely familiar with participants’ moods significantly decreased heart rate and blood pressure (Petty, 2009).
2. Improved Sleep Quality
Studies have shown that music can improve a person’s sleep quality. In fact, many professionals in the field of sleep medicine recommend that individuals struggling with insomnia listen to soft music or even white noise before going to bed to help them fall asleep faster and promote more restful sleep. Research has found that this method can be helpful for about 90% of insomnia sufferers. On the other hand, listening to music has been linked with increased relaxation and improved moods which can also help people get a better night’s sleep (Caldwell, 2012). According to a study conducted by the University of Plymouth in England, the relaxing effect of music is stronger than prescription tranquilizers. Additionally, the researchers found that listening to soft, slow music can help people fall asleep faster. (Caldwell, 2012)
3. Mood Regulation
Even though many people listen to music just for enjoyment purposes, others use it as a mood regulator. The way we feel is often dependent on our current mental state and the environment we are in. For instance, if you are feeling sad or anxious, listening to pleasant music can help elevate your mood and make you feel better about your current situation. A lot of people turn to music when they are going through a rough patch in life so they can forget about their problems and refocus their attention on the present moment (Caldwell 2012).
4. Positive Emotions
Perhaps the most important effect of music is its ability to increase positive emotions like joy and happiness. It has been found that listening to great music can make people feel happier. For instance, researchers in the field of neurology conducted an experiment in which they played happy and sad music to individuals suffering from depression . Half of the participants were instructed to focus on their feelings toward the music while the other half focused on other things going on around them (Markwick, 1983). The study found that while individuals who focused on their current feelings listened to sad music; those who focused wouldn’t experience negative emotions as quickly when listening to happy music. Therefore, if you are feeling calm and relaxed after listening to your favorite song then you should know that there is most likely a cognitive reason for it. (Caldwell 2012)
5. Song Fidelity
In addition to the ways in which music can make us feel better, studies have also shown that certain types of music can help certain people deal with various types of moods and negative emotions. For instance, if you suffer from melancholy or depression , playing sad music without lyrics may only make your situation worse (Markwick, 1982). In general, many people turn to classical music when they are feeling stressed out, anxious or depressed . On the other hand, listening to jazz music has been linked with increased creativity and improved attention spans. Even though listening to music can be a great way for people to relax and unwind, some people may experience adverse effects from it if they are not careful. For instance, listening to sad or depressing music may have the opposite effect on people who are already depressed . In addition, certain types of music may actually aggravate certain moods or emotions.
6. Physiological Responses
Research also shows that listening to music can also lead to physiological responses in the body. For example, one study found that when participants were presented with a new classical piece of music, their heart rates decreased significantly and their blood pressure dropped (Petty, 2009). On the other hand, cardiovascular responses have been linked with the tempo of a song like those found in a jazz club (Solis et al., 2007). In conclusion, there are many different ways in which people can benefit from listening to music. Whether you listen to it for enjoyment or relaxation purposes you should know that science backs up that many of your reactions are based on cognitive reasoning rather than just a feeling.
