Can Listening to Music Reduce Stress?

Mar 5, 2022 | Mental health, Yasmina Behlock

By Yasmina Behlock

Edited by Sarah El Hayek

Reading Time:

3 minutes

Music therapy : « Toujours à tes côtés »

Put your headphones on and play the first song that pops up into your head. Your first instinct will probably be to choose your favorite song: it gives you chills, relaxes you and takes you to another world. 

Music makes us feel alive. It helps us stimulate different feelings and relate them to memories. 

Whether it be while waiting for the bus, driving, working out, chilling with friends, we spend on average 5 hours a day listening to music. It is our 24/7 partner.

As music is an undeniable part of our daily lives, it is a necessity to use it in the most efficient way.

5 tips to enjoy your music while benefit from it the most:

1- Play your playlist on shuffle mode When a song comes up unexpectedly, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure, motivation, and rewarding feelings… It is that same neurotransmitter that is released when eating chocolate for example. So, playing your playlist on shuffle mode will intensively activate your reward system, thus improving your mood.

2- Don’t just listen, sing ! (Particularly in groups) When possible, just sing! Most importantly, try singing in a group. While singing with other people, especially while improvising, another hormone is released: oxytocin. Known as the “love hormone”, oxytocin is usually released in social tasks (bonding relationships, hugs…) This increase in oxytocin, associated with dopamine, gives an incredible feeling of pleasure, motivation and reduces stress.

3- Make your own playlists Researchers have found that the key to productivity is choosing your background music. Choosing your own playlist will help you complete your repetitive tasks quickly as well as improve your creativity.

4- When stressed, enjoy your favorite song Music does not only increase well-being hormones but also reduces one that we are all familiar with, the stress hormone, “cortisol”. Indeed, music has the power to reduce pain and stress, thus enhancing mental health and happiness.

This decrease in cortisol is mostly seen while listening to your “favorite” song. So, when stressed, do not randomly turn on the radio, but play your favorite song and you’ll feel better in a matter of seconds.

5- Play an instrument/ write songs Some people benefit more from the advantages of music, not by simply listening to it, but also by producing it: Musicians.

Playing music has major effects on the brain, increasing brain plasticity, stimulating multiple brain pathways. Of course, the earlier you start, the easiest it will be for you to learn. However, it is never too late to start, and the benefits of it are present in every age group!

Writing songs also has an impact on mental health. Writing music can be a way of expressing feelings that are enclosed deeply inside of us. Some people find it liberating to finally be able to express themselves, through music.

Music, the new tool of doctors

All these benefits of music drew the attention of many doctors that decided to use music as a therapy for many diseases, especially neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Today, all musical activities (listening, playing, singing…) are used to improve patients’ conditions and their quality of life. It is used for patients with depressionanxiety, dementia, motor disorders, epilepsy, post-stroke disorders, PTSD, as well as rehabilitation.

And the most important thing about these therapies is that you don’t need doctors to do it, it is a simple and efficient therapy that can be done anywhere, any time.

Music isn’t just entertainment, it is also a powerful tool for the human brain. Music changes your life in many ways, without you even realizing it. Feeling down? Overwhelmed? Stressed? Sad? Or even happy? Music is always the answer: put your headphones on and dance it out.

Trimble M, Hesdorffer D. Music and the brain: the neuroscience of music and musical appreciation. BJPsych Int. 2017;14(2):28-31. Published 2017 May 1. doi:10.1192/s2056474000001720-      

Raglio A, Attardo L, Gontero G, Rollino S, Groppo E, Granieri E. Effects of music and music therapy on mood in neurological patients. World J Psychiatry. 2015;5(1):68-78. doi:10.5498/wjp.v5.i1.68

TEDxTalks 2013. Music on the Brain: Jessica Grahn at TEDxWaterloo 2013

Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1vlTI0EsPk