Amid all the genre choices, music students often land in dilemma. But, when it comes to master or compose, one should select a genre that reflects their soul best.
When neuroscience focuses on the effects of music on our mood, it gives a formula suggesting that a song can make us happy. According to research stated in the Journal of Positive Psychology, the people who face mood swings and dismay can uplift their mood by listening to music within two weeks. Their feelings of gloom and sadness can change into happiness after listening to music.
There are researches based on a feel-good index that represents how music can make a person feel better. According to a report by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), music can be used as a therapy.
Many such programs help alleviate mood, reduce stress, and improve memory. Some programs are specially designed to achieve goals in order to suppress the feelings of downfall and despair.
Here are instances when the power of music affects our emotions and mental well-being.
Music can influence the perception of effort
Music acts as a fuel for athletes. At the Beijing Olympics, the participant who won eight gold medals was listening to the song for a few minutes before swimming. The swimmer said in an interview that he was inspired by the fiery words.
According to several studies, music acts positively on athletes for several reasons during a performance.
It makes you forget the state of tiredness, which delays the desire to slow down. According to a study by sports psychologist Costas Karageorghis, from Brunel University in the United Kingdom, music with high beats per minute can also increase the speed of athletes.
According to a study by Southern Connecticut State University, conducted with basketball players, those who listened to rhythmic music during the exercise ran on average five minutes more than the others. The intensity level of heart rate reached 90%.
Listening to music releases dopamine to the brain
After many types of researches on the brain, it was found that the areas of musical emotions in the brain are not distinct from the areas of other emotions.
Indeed, when we listen to a melody that we like, the neural circuits that come into play are those that intervene in the mechanisms of motivation and excitement.
Improve sleep and relaxation
The soothing effects of soft music, instrumental or sung, are observed at all ages. According to the results of clinical studies carried out on elderly people, music therapy could facilitate falling asleep, reduce the number of awakenings, improve the quality of sleep and increase its duration and effectiveness.
When a person goes to sleep after listening to music, the soothing effects last longer and tranquilizes the brain cells. It automatically improves the ability to fall asleep.
State of well-being and positive emotions
Musical words have an expressive structure, powerful enough to impose emotional states. They can also reduce anxiety, stress levels and improve mood.
The musical verses influence every individual differently. It invokes positive emotions, and when positive energy surrounds a person, then his or her emotional well-being is automatically improved.
Background music helps creativity
Playing music while you are exercising, studying, or working can help improve your memory. Our brain starts to concentrate more, and it results in creativity. Listening to music helps in developing cognitive skills such as attention. It helps provide a creative environment conducive to self-expression.
Also, music helps evoke memories and associations. Music helps in improving the overall feel of any particular place. You may also have memories of a few songs that you played with your friends while going on a long drive or a trip to your favourite place.
Listening to music in a relaxed and receptive state stimulates thoughts, ideas and feelings. Research shows that beautiful music can have a soothing role when we have the blues. It is not only the lively music that helps you uplift your mood but also the sad lyrics that can calm down your activated nerves.
As soon as the brain perceives a musical atmosphere, it adapts almost immediately to what it interprets as information concerning the external environment. The techno music will automatically increase the heart rate while relaxing music will actually have the opposite effect.
To find more about how music can improve your emotional well-being, reach out to our professional music teachers at The Young Musician Music Institute.
