Music is one of the world’s most beloved forms of leisure activity, captivating millions every year with its melodies. Music takes up so much of our time, energy and attention that few other activities come close.
Researchers have proposed hundreds of potential musical functions, many based on evolutionary considerations. Studies employ various methodologies for this research such as open surveys where respondents suggest functional dimensions or predefined collections or dimensions drawn from literature research.
Motivation
Music has been proven to have beneficial ergogenic effects during exercise on both psychological and psychophysiological responses, including attentional arousal levels and levels of exertion (RPE). Research into its use during physical exercise itself rather than pre-task or warm-up exercises shows this to be the case; when used during actual workout sessions it may modulate physiological responses by improving dissociation mechanisms as well as by shifting attentional arousal and increasing distraction levels during RPE measurement.
My group conducted a recent research project where participants completed two sets of bench press repetitions until failure at 75% of their 1-rep max, listening to self-selected preferable and non-preferred music while warming up standardized. Preferred music led to significant increases in barbell velocity, power, repetition volume and motivational drive compared to its non-preferred counterpart. Preference for music may also help accelerate acute recovery following exercise by altering hormone and neurotransmitter responses. Sedative music has been shown to help reduce cortisol levels post exercise, improving substrate availability for gluconeogenesis and free fatty acid mobilization [67]. This finding is particularly pertinent given that many elite athletes use music of their choosing as motivation for improved performance [68, 69].
Relaxation
Music can reduce stress by activating a calming response in the body and soothing feelings of sadness or anxiety. Furthermore, music has been found to decrease cortisol levels associated with stress while increasing dopamine release; both neurotransmitters known to bring pleasure and relaxation.
It’s essential when listening to relaxing music that you choose tunes that you find pleasing – otherwise it may increase tension rather than soothe it. Focus on melodies and harmonies while searching out rhythms that help relax the mind.
Find songs with a slow tempo – around 60 beats per minute is ideal – in order to help your heart rate sync up with the music’s frequencies and help relax you. Instrumental tracks may also help focus on sounds and harmonies without distracting lyrics.
Memory
Music not only offers emotional and spiritual healing properties, but is also capable of stimulating neuroplastic responses within our brains to enhance cognitive functions. Neuropsychologists and musicologists continue to research how musical experiences impact brain structures.
Music experiences – such as playing an instrument or singing – have an immensely positive effect on memory. One study demonstrated this effect when participants who had musical training outperformed those without any musical training on verbal memory tests. Music-evoked autobiographical memories also proved more accurate and detailed than those evoked by other stimuli.
The hippocampus and frontal cortex are large areas of the brain associated with memory. Memorizing information may be easy, but retrieving it can be more challenging; music helps unlock this stored data by providing it in a format easier for the brain to recall – which explains why so many products and companies create memorable jingles set to music because people tend to recall lyrics presented through song more easily than without musical accompaniment.
Stress Reduction
A personalized playlist can help reduce stress and foster positive emotions, but listeners must be wary not to listen to music that reinforces or amplifies negative feelings, as this could trigger mood shifts that might not be beneficial to mental health. Furthermore, music can serve as an alternative form of self-medication that should never serve as a replacement for professional mental health treatment.
Listening to relaxing instrumental music such as classical or ambient genres can help relieve stress. Without lyrics to distract us, the soothing melodies and rhythms create an immediate sense of serenity that promote peace.
People suffering from stress often find relief through creating music or art. This could mean anything from playing an instrument or singing along with favorite tunes to working collaboratively with other artists on musical projects. According to Ringgold, creating art helps redirect our nervous systems back into a rest-and-digest state.