At such a difficult time in our lives, it’s no surprise that we’re all looking for new ways to look after our mental health when our old techniques may no longer be viable options. There are so many different hobbies and creative outlets that can have an impact on our wellbeing, with music being one of the most accessible ways to help people to express themselves. After all, it’s rare that we are content with absolute silence, as different frequencies and vibrations are all around us in nature – either through bird song or as the wind blows through the trees outside your window. We’ve found out some ways that music has been proven to improve our wellbeing and mental health, which you may find particularly useful if you’re looking for tools to help you through this tough period.
Listening To Music
For years, music has been a form of escapism from the realities that we face in our daily lives – much like books, films, and games have been over the past decades. Scientific research has proven that music can stimulate the body’s ‘feel-good’ chemicals like oxytocin, which helps us to energize, manage stress, and even alleviate pain. For some people, particular pieces of music resonate with them as the words or sounds in songs can express how we are feeling emotionally, and these songs can help to comfort us. It is possible for our brains to associate certain songs, sounds or tones with certain moods, which means that an upbeat mix could boost our energy, whilst a slow or somber piece could make us feel even worse. This is why it is important to create different playlists, such as ‘music to wake up to’ or ‘feel-good songs’, so that you have access to instant support with your mood in the form of music!
Learning To Play An Instrument
Dedicating your time, energy, and focus on learning an instrument can serve as an excellent distraction away from your thoughts. Nothing quite beats seeing results after putting in the hours of learning and practicing, especially when you are able to recreate some of your most favorite songs. If you’re looking to share what you’ve learned with others, there is an app for singers and amateur musicians. Being able to record and package what you have been focusing on can make learning an instrument extremely rewarding, as others are able to listen and to pay you recognition for your new achievement.
Making Music With Others
Collaborating with others to create masterpieces can be an effective way to socialize with others, as well as gain much-needed insights or boosts of creativity that you may be lacking if you’re feeling a little under the weather. Having a common interest with someone and bonding over this could help to ease your social anxiety or inability to communicate well with others. What you may have been mocked for by others could be the reason you are admired by another! Together, you are able to communicate non-verbally, which can help you both to work on any suppressed feelings you are suffering inside. Connecting with someone through music can help you to feel less isolated and lonely, which will help you to improve your mental wellbeing in the long term.
No matter what genre, or form, music can assist you through your struggles and help you to cope with life-changing periods. However, music is also there for the good times too, which means that music has the power to transport you to better times in your life when you hear the same music at a later date – even in the darkest moments.
