Some of us work and learn better or sleep quickly when music is played around. This scenario is indicative of the influence of music on our minds and soul. Therefore, music can be used as a therapy for improving stress and anxiety. This therapy can be recommended by an expert or you can simply play your favorite beats and alleviate stress.

The history of music is about 40,000 years old and its implication in therapy was initiated in the 20th century. Research studies have proved that music helps people with stress and anxiety. It should be considered alone or in combination with other therapies for mental well-being. American Music Therapy Association states that music improves anxiety, communication skills, pain, and memory.

Music is something that you can have with you every time. You do not need to go somewhere or spend something to alleviate your anxiety when you have access to music. Music therapy exists in many forms ranging from listening to music, playing a musical instrument, and singing to writing a song.

The article below states how music therapy works for improving stress and anxiety and how we can employ it.

  1. How it works:
  2. Release Chemicals: Music reduces anxiety and stress by regulating a certain portion of the brain called neocortex. In response to music therapy, certain chemicals are released from the brain that overcomes stress and anxiety. These chemicals include endorphins, dopamine, cortisol, and immunoglobulin.

Endorphins act similarly to opioids to induce calmness and relieve pain. Pain and music are processed by the same portion of the brain. When human attention is diverted to music, endorphins are released arising euphoric feelings. It makes a person feel better avoiding depressive thoughts.

Dopamine is also called a feel-good neurotransmitter. It enhances motivation, learning, memory, and feelings of happiness. Listening to music enhances the dopamine level of the body which improves mood and reduces anxiety.

Cortisol is secreted from the adrenal glands and is associated with the stress response. When music is played; natural stress hormones decrease leading to a reduction in anxiety. Patients stress before and during surgeries. A research study was conducted by playing music during surgery while some surgeries were performed without music. Results indicated that patients who listened to music had low cortisol levels in the body as compared to those who were operated without playing music.

Immunoglobulin is a protein and functions as an antibody to foreign substances. Music therapy increases the release of immunoglobulin and increases immunity. A sound body equals a sound mind. Therefore, greater immunity improves health which has a positive impact on mental well-being.

  • Provides Distraction: Anxious individuals are usually stuck in depressive and negative emotions. They are either blaming themselves for a recent event or digging the negativity in something else. This scenario creates a series of never-ending stress and anxiety which worsens mental health. Other alternatives for distraction from this situation like social media or talking to someone may not work here. Most of the platforms are becoming toxic with each passing day. A depressed individual may become more anxious after five minutes of scrolling because the content is endless and not everything matches his personality.

In contrast, music acts through a different mechanism. Music lyrics can make a person forget all negative thoughts for a moment. He forgets the evil stuff and pays attention to the voice that is continually hitting his vocals. In this way, music therapy acts as a great distraction to relieve anxiety and depression.

  •  Pleasure: A little sign of positivity and happiness is a great thing for a person going through a depression phase. Pharmacological and psychological therapies have their significance in the treatment of anxiety but all of them have a specific onset of action. Every individual has to go through a specific time before attaining the desired relief.

In contrast, music therapy provides instant pleasure leading to the alleviation of anxiety in depressed individuals.  Human emotions align with changing patterns of beats. Lyrics, melodious voices, and musical beats create a perfect combination. This combination is good enough to induce joy and counter anxiety.

 The blood pressure and heart rate of anxious individuals normally reside at higher levels. Music can calm the human nerves during anxiety and depression. It reduces heart and blood pressure leading to the relaxation of nerves, greater pleasure, and reduced anxiety. 

  • Cognition: Many individuals learn better and quicker when music is played around. This is because music has a positive impact on cognitive ability. Music stimulates the part of the brain involved in speaking, emotions, and memory processing. It improves the memory, thinking ability, and intellect of an individual.
  • Establishes Connectivity: Stressed individuals prefer to stay alone. This loneliness makes the situation worse. Music therapy can be a great source for overcoming self-isolation in anxiety. An anxious individual can reconnect with the community through music. Think of going to a concert and enjoying music with a huge group of people. Writing or singing a song by collaborating with a friend is also a great source of interaction. In this way, music therapy takes a person out of the self-isolation phase overcoming anxiety and depression.
  • How to utilize: Music therapy is recommended by experts alone or in combination with other therapies. One can utilize it by himself for mental well-being without visiting any expert. Keep the following points in mind while employing music for improving stress and anxiety:
  • Intensity: Music has a great number of types. An anxious individual needs calmness in all aspects. Remember that you do not start it from a very high tempo or rock. In anxiety palpitations, high blood pressure, and increased heart rate are usual things. High-tempo music in this situation can increase anxiety. It may also enhance blood pressure making a person hypertensive. The recommended tempo of music during stress and anxiety is 60-80BP. This tempo is for slow music that calms nerves, relaxes muscles, and improves depression.
  • Listen to what you like: Every individual has developed his taste in music. Listen to what you like. Do not select songs randomly and start listening to them. If they do not match your taste the result will only be frustration leading to an increase in anxiety instead of improving the situation. For this purpose, you can download all of your favorite beats and make an album.
  • Lyrical music: Lyrics of music have a very important influence on your mood. You should be cautious while selecting lyrical music. Various songs remind you of some old good memories and refresh your mind. These types of songs are great because they divert your attention from negativity to something good that makes you happy. On the other hand, sad music can adversely affect anxiety and stress instead of improving it. What if listening to a song makes you cry for a whole day? It is not the right approach for utilizing music therapy to improve stress and anxiety. Instead, you can also download motivational music, patriotic songs, or even short poems. This type of music will urge you to get out of this phase and return to a life of positivity and happiness.
  • Time: The timing of music therapy also matters while dealing with stress and anxiety.  Do not employ it at an excessive level because it will annoy you soon. You will get bored of listening to music every time. It can increase your frustration and make you more stressed. Set a schedule for yourself. You can choose anytime depending on your priorities but 45 minutes of listening two times of day would be enough. Allow your emotions to align with the healing power of music. Secondly, you should not listen to music at your office or while sitting with your family. It will raise complaints from people present around you. External behaviors directly impact your emotions. Do not let the music destroy things that were good previously. Listen to music at appropriate timing like cleaning the room, traveling, before sleeping, and during exercise.
  • Case Study: Patients in ICU are usually found to be struggling for their survival. Healthcare professionals try their best but success is not always guaranteed. This scenario induces stress and anxiety in patients. Increased blood pressure and heart rate are common in anxiety and stress which further deteriorates the physiological state of the patient. In this situation, music therapy can assist to calm the nerves of the patient. A research study was conducted in the intensive care units of a hospital in Turkey to find the impact of music intervention on stress and anxiety levels.

The study was performed on 72 patients. All of them were diagnosed with cerebrovascular accident.  Assessment parameters of the study were a visual analogue scale for pain, a face anxiety scale, and a state-trait anxiety inventory for anxiety while general comfort questionnaires were used for comfort.

The results of study were promising for the utilization of music for anxiety. The study reported that the anxiety scales of patients decreased after music therapy. Patients have expressed that comfort was enhanced along with pain reduction.

ICU tends to prove heavy even on a person with a strong nervous system. If music therapy can improve a patient’s condition in ICU then it is also beneficial for improving anxiety and stress in routine life.

  • Benefits: In the points below we have summed up all the benefits that you can avail yourself by starting music therapy for improving your mental well-being:
  • Improves cognitive ability
  • Enhances memory
  • Pain relief
  • Improves negative mood
  • Helps in autism
  • Improves respiratory problems
  • Helps females with post-partum depression
  • Improves cardiac issues and headaches
  • Improves sleep
  • Helps in healing after brain injuries

To conclude, music therapy has all those perks that an anxious individual is looking for; calming, soothing, available when needed, and free of cost. Music therapy can do wonders, but the first step from your side is mandatory.