The Power of Music for Mental Health

A few weeks ago, I turned on a playlist my sisters and I share called “Childhood Tunes.” Each song evoked a specific memory, I still knew most of the words, and my mood was instantly lifted. I know this experience isn’t a unique one. Music is powerful - but why? Below, I share the common refrains I discovered about how music can influence our mind, body, and mood. 

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Music Offers a Multi-Sensory Experience

“Nothing activates the brain so extensively as music.” Dr. Oliver Sacks

Music is an auditory medium at its heart but also involves emotion, memory, rhythm, and language.  For example, we comprehend and produce language via the left hemisphere of our brains, but we process music across both. This is why people who can no longer speak may still sing songs and can re-learn language through music therapy. In other words, music provides a WHOLE BRAIN EXPERIENCE that speech alone cannot.

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Music Helps With Physical and Emotional Regulation

Trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry includes “Rhythm” as one of his 6 R’s for Healing Trauma. His research has shown that patterned, repetitive rhythmic activity (which includes singing and dancing among things like walking or meditative breath) can move us to a calmer cognitive state. 

Evidence-based research also suggests that passive (listening) and active (playing) engagement with music can positively affect mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and even physical pain. 

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Music Builds Connection and Social Support 

It’s often been said that music is a universal language. Throughout history, music has been used as a way to unite people and act as a catalyst for social change. Listening to different musical genres can promote cultural understanding and awareness. Entire communities of people (who may have nothing else in common) form around certain artists, e.g. Swifties, The BeyHive, etc. 

Case in point: I connected with many of my fellow clinicians over music when I reached out to craft a playlist of songs to share with this post. It was fun to see which songs were beloved by many and which we were being introduced to for the first time. The Sage Therapy: Music that Moves Us playlist can be accessed HERE. 

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As a therapist, when exploring coping strategies with clients, I often explore music as a tool to lift one’s mood (or, sometimes, to allow them to feel pain more deeply within a safe container). I have also used it as a simple way to build therapeutic rapport with a client. 

There are also credentialed music therapy professionals, who work with evidence-based music interventions within a therapeutic setting. MusicTherapy.org has a lot of great information regarding this modality.

As the 90s German Eurodance group Snap! sang: “Rhythm is a Dancer, it’s a soul’s companion, you can feel it everywhere.” Whether you are looking to reduce stress and anxiety, focus on studying, or go to sleep; whether you want to learn more about different cultures or build community, music has the power and the potential to help you get there. 

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References & Resources

• How Gabby Giffords Used Music to Regain Her Speech
• How Gabby Giffords is using music to rewire her brain after being shot (video)
• Rhythm Regulates the Brain
• The effects of playing music on mental health outcomes
• The Transformative Power of Music in Mental Well-Being
• Why Music Is Essential for Community Engagement
• Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain

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