Music is significantly associated with improving mood for many people and reducing stress, especially quiet music without words, according to several studies.
After a comprehensive analysis of 26 studies, it was found that singing, playing a musical instrument or even listening to music can improve mental health, as well as have a positive impact on mental health, equivalent to exercising, according to the BoldSky website on health.
Eight studies in this analysis also showed that adding music to standard treatments can be associated with clinically significant changes in well-being and health-related quality of life in a range of conditions.
In one experiment, researchers at the University of Groningen showed that listening to sad or happy music can not only change people’s moods, but also what they notice. In a 2011 study, 43 students listened to happy or sad music in the background when they were asked to identify faces. Happy and sad, and when happy music was played, participants noticed happier faces and vice versa for sad music.
One study also found that listening to upbeat music had a positive effect on memory, skill acquisition, and learning.
Neuroscientists have found that listening to music promotes positive emotions through reward centers in the brain, stimulating the release of dopamine that can make us feel satisfied and extremely happy.
In sum, music is uniquely associated with our feelings, and research shows that it can be an effective tool for staving off stress and relieving symptoms of depression.