Music is the art of combining vocal or instrumental sounds for aesthetic pleasure and emotional expression, with various definitions also including practical applications like information transmission; for instance, bugle tones used as orders across fields.
Luther, following Plato’s lead, lamented music’s sensuous qualities and insisted it never compete with Scripture. Other writers have provided lists of basic musical elements.
Entertainment
From the dawn of human history, entertainment has long been one of the primary forms of distraction and pleasure. Entertainment can take many forms and be tailored specifically to a single individual or a large crowd.
Entertainment can take many forms: it could be an activity, hobby, form of art or business venture. From an individual activity such as crossword puzzle to multi-billion dollar industries and global franchises – there’s sure to be something entertaining out there to engage you!
Music can be a powerful means of both entertaining and elevating mood, providing people with the means of focusing their energy and time on things that are most meaningful in life. Listening to uplifting and positive music can help remind listeners to be present with themselves while at the same time distract from stressors. Music’s soothing sounds have long been used in therapy sessions as an aid for relieving anxiety and depression; further research indicates musical preferences as an indicator of personality traits.
Mood Enhancer
Mood enhancers include physical and psychological stimulation, family and community involvement and other methods that help you feel good about yourself. Many factors can alter one’s mood including their surroundings (poverty, abuse and neglect) as well as social/cultural injustices such as racism/sexism/poverty issues as well as how they are treated in work and school environments.
Music triggers chemical responses in the brain that produce similar feelings of pleasure as other tangible stimuli such as food or money, according to research using functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI. A study showed that when volunteers listened to music they enjoyed more than neutral music or no music at all, dopamine levels rose in their brains more rapidly.
Stress Reliever
Music has been demonstrated to help reduce cortisol levels during times of high stress and activate the parasympathetic nervous system for physical relaxation, helping reduce fight-or-flight responses that lead to symptoms such as fast heart rates, tightened muscles and sweaty palms.
Musical experiences have long been linked with feelings of pleasure. According to research, this may be related to neurotransmitters such as endorphins and oxytocin being released, creating positive emotions. Furthermore, music serves as an enjoyable distraction which helps relax mind and body simultaneously, leading to lower stress hormone levels.
Music can help reduce stress in many ways; to find what best relaxes you, experiment with various genres such as classical, instrumental, acoustic or nature sounds – you may find them the most comforting. Once you have created a personalized playlist with relaxing tunes that works for you, listen back whenever necessary for relief from anxiety or create an environment conducive to relaxation by using headphones or an ambient sound app such as SoundScape to block out distracting noises.
Self-Care
Caretaking yourself helps you feel more equipped and confident to manage life’s demanding situations. A good self-care strategy may include getting enough restful sleep, regular exercise and eating healthily; spending time with friends; limiting screen use (studies have demonstrated its negative impact on psychological well-being); practicing meditation or mindfulness techniques and spending quality time outdoors.
Each person’s definition of self-care varies, and may change over time. To maximize your own well-being and make self-care part of a regular practice, find activities you enjoy that fit into your schedule easily – not occasional indulgences – which foster wellness across various aspects of physical, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. For more insight on self-care practices from Verywell Mind host Amy Morin LCSW on self-care practices listen to this podcast!