If you try to find someone who doesn’t like music, you’ll probably have a hard time. Everyone loves music, whether it’s classical instrumental or hard rock.
Music is a part of our lives, woven into our cultures and embedded in our memories. Think back on your childhood — you probably have a song that’s irretrievably part of those years. Maybe it was a lullaby your parents sang to you when you were little. Or perhaps it was the theme song of a favorite television show.
But the truth is — music affects so many different parts of our life that we might not consciously recognize them. Scientists still aren’t sure about the full potential of music on our minds. But what they do know is it affects every part of the brain — not just processing sound but also memory, mood, self-perception, and more.
So, while we know music can affect us in multiple ways, we’re still learning the full scope of what that means. As research continues, we’ll learn more about how music can help us not just mentally and emotionally, but also physically. Here are 65 amazing ways music can improve your life.
1. Familiar music helps you relax
Listening to music you know and love can help release tension and reduce anxiety. The act of listening and the familiarity of the songs are a perfect recipe for relaxation.
Music therapy has been a huge breakthrough in medicine, and it’s been particularly successful for child cancer patients. Teens who use music therapy are better at coping with the stresses of their treatment.
At least one study has shown that relaxing music like jazz might help people eat less. More specifically, it helps them enjoy their food and thereby, eat slower.
Some studies show work teams that listen to music together, collaborate more effectively and function more efficiently. Elevating the mood of the office certainly can’t hurt.
Some instrumental music, such as Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, has been shown to improve mental acuity and concentration. In particular, upbeat, energetic instrumentals seem to get the best results.
Music helps reduce stress by decreasing cortisol levels. Cortisol, which is a hormone, activates during stress or trauma. So, lowering those levels signals the body to relax.
Studies show that patients who listen to music before surgery have less anxiety and may even need lower doses of sedatives. This also applies to those who listen to music during a surgical procedure.
Listening to happy, energetic music can help stimulate the brain, helping you be more creative. Researchers think the boost of energy and the lowered stress levels make the brain work more effectively.
Music causes the brain to release dopamine, which is called the “pleasure” chemical. It’s the same one that’s released during sex, eating, and even drug use. Thankfully, music is a much healthier “fix.”
Singing regularly is great for your health, but singing in a group is particularly good for emotional regulation. It helps people feel connected to others while doing an activity they enjoy.
Listening to music can help improve your exercise routine. Those motivational beats enhance concentration, making it easier to tune out the stress and discomfort of hard exercise.
Music can also help boost your energy level, especially during exercise. So, don’t forget your iPod the next time you hit the gym. It could make a big difference in your workout.
16. Playing an instrument protects the brain as you age
Learning to play an instrument is challenging but it’s great stimulation for the brain. Research shows that seniors who play instruments respond quicker to speech, which indicates more acute brain activity.
Not only is singing lullabies to babies a great way to get them to fall asleep but music can help adults sleep better, too. Listening to music before bed can help you drift off faster and wake fewer times during the night.
Along with going to sleep faster, studies show people who listen to music at night sleep more soundly and wake feeling better rested. This is even the case for individuals with sleep disorders.
Music classes are hugely beneficial to children, but that extends beyond school. Studies show that preschoolers who sing and play music together are much more likely to help one another with problem-solving tasks.
Waiting is never fun, but music can help. It makes time feel as though it’s passing more quickly, which is one reason why stores and restaurants have music playing in the background.
Research shows that listening to music can help people feel less pain. This works for those with chronic illnesses, as well as for people experiencing mild, short-term pain.
Road rage can be a serious problem that puts people in danger. Listening to happy or calming music while you drive might just help you feel more relaxed and drive safer.
23. It can also help you make fewer mistakes behind the wheel
Some research shows listening to upbeat music while you drive might help you concentrate better and therefore, make fewer mistakes. It should be mellow music, though — no heavy rock.
If you’ve seen the movie Coco, you might know a little bit about how music affects memory. The movie got it spot-on: there is evidence that listening to music can help patients with Alzheimer’s.
You’d think it goes without saying, but music can elevate your mood. Researchers think this has to do with improving self-awareness and self-regulation.
But music is much more than just a temporary mood booster. Those who listen to upbeat, relaxing music regularly may feel happier and less anxious day-to-day.
While music therapy is helpful for those with certain physical conditions, it can also help those with mental disorders. People suffering from depression often find relief from listening to music.
People who listen to happy, upbeat music during hard work, such as exercise or office tasks, have been shown to have more mental and physical endurance. Researchers think that music may distract from some of the frustration of high-intensity tasks.
This is another one that seems like it goes without saying: music is comforting to us. It helps us feel connected to others and can improve communication of difficult feelings like anger or hopelessness.
Children with autism spectrum disorder often benefit from music therapy. Studies show it helps improve communication, social interactions, and concentration.
Premature babies often have to deal with a unique set of internal and external challenges. Playing music in NICUs has been shown to help soothe the discomfort of premature infants and regulate quiet-alert cycles
Premature infants often struggle with poor feeding and other health-related issues. Some tests indicate listening to music may promote better feeding as well as healthier vital signs.
It seems unbelievable, but evidence shows listening to music may improve the body’s immune response. In particular, it promotes the production of antibodies that protect against viruses and cancers.
Or at least, every part of the brain we know about. There’s no single area of the brain that processes music. Instead, it stimulates the brain’s many different thought centers.
Music therapy comes in many forms. One of those involves guided imagery through familiar songs. This may help patients feel closer to and more trusting of their therapists through shared experiences.
If you’ve ever participated in group meditation, you may have listened to music. This is because music promotes self-awareness and mindfulness, making it perfect for meditation.
Music helps people express emotions in a socially acceptable way. Individuals who struggle to articulate their feelings say they can release them through music.
Music therapy is a great way to help anyone who experienced trauma, but it’s particularly helpful for children. While kids often struggle to express their feelings after trauma, music can help.
Another way music can help kids is by helping them bond and communicate with others. This is especially true for children who enjoy music in group settings.
Kids with anxiety can benefit from music since it helps with emotional regulation. It also provides relief from overstimulation, which can be a big trigger for anxious children.
Research shows music relieves chronic pain, but it can even help relieve minor and temporary injuries. Some parents play music when their child gets hurt to help them relax while they recover for a few minutes.
47. It can improve physical symptoms in the elderly
Listening to music regularly can help elderly patients deal with physical pain. There are many theories for why this happens…one being it decreases stress chemicals while increasing “happy” chemicals.
Music can help during exercise, but amazingly, there’s also evidence it can help the body heal after a workout. This may be due to improved circulation and relaxation.
One of the reasons music is used during meditation is that it improves quiet thought and self-awareness. This helps people reflect in a relaxed, natural way.
There’s a reason why athletes listen to intense music before participating in physical activity. The theory behind getting “pumped up” is based on science — people perform high-pressure tasks more efficiently after listening to upbeat music.
Research shows listening to music regularly can help stroke victims recover faster. It also helps to improve memory, mood, and even speech abilities after a stroke.
We’ve mentioned music improves circulation, but that’s not the only way it’s good for the heart. It can also reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness that’s just beginning to be understood, but it causes severe muscle and joint pain. Some research shows listening to music regularly may improve mobility in these patients.
It might sound odd, but some research shows listening to music regularly might make you a kinder person. This could have something to do with those mood-boosting properties.
Another way music improves heart health is by boosting serotonin levels in the blood. This also goes along with mood improvement, as serotonin plays a part in helping us feel happier.
More than one study has shown listening to music while studying improves retention and learning ability. This is one reason why studying to a song may be particularly effective.
58. Music therapy can help stroke victims recover speech
There are several ways music can help stroke victims. Studies show music therapy after stroke can help improve speech and language abilities…and in just a month.
59. It can also help people with seizure disorders
There’s some early research showing music may be an effective treatment for those with seizure disorders. This includes epilepsy and some neurological disorders.
Some researchers think listening to music may help reduce or prevent tension headaches. This would certainly make sense since music improves relaxation and circulation.
61. It might decrease the risk of heart disease and diabetes
At least one study has shown listening to music may decrease the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Not only is this because it lowers stress levels but it also decreases some proteins that contribute to the development of these diseases.
We’ve talked about the mood-boosting properties of music, but there’s some evidence to show it can help rewire the brain. By consciously choosing mood-enhancing music, some people have seen positive long-term outcomes in happiness and mindfulness.
Some music can make us more relaxed. On the other hand, there’s music that can make us feel angry or stressed. Listening to songs that get the blood pumping has shown to improve persistence and focus on goals.
64. It might make you more open to new relationships
At least one study shows music might have an effect on your love life. This study found women were more receptive to giving their number to men after listening to romantic music.
There’s evidence that listening to music while studying can improve performance on tests and retention of facts. But more than that, it might even increase your IQ.
If you try to find someone who doesn’t like music, you’ll probably have a hard time. Everyone loves music, whether it’s classical instrumental or hard rock.
Music is a part of our lives, woven into our cultures and embedded in our memories. Think back on your childhood — you probably have a song that’s irretrievably part of those years. Maybe it was a lullaby your parents sang to you when you were little. Or perhaps it was the theme song of a favorite television show.
But the truth is — music affects so many different parts of our life that we might not consciously recognize them. Scientists still aren’t sure about the full potential of music on our minds. But what they do know is it affects every part of the brain — not just processing sound but also memory, mood, self-perception, and more.
So, while we know music can affect us in multiple ways, we’re still learning the full scope of what that means. As research continues, we’ll learn more about how music can help us not just mentally and emotionally, but also physically. Here are 65 amazing ways music can improve your life.
