Mental Health: 10 - Music

This week’s response focuses on music and the many benefits it can have on mental health. Similar to last week, it highlights how much enjoyment we can get from a hobby we love, but also goes further and explains many less well-known benefits of music.

“I love music. Humans are beings of emotion and this is why we can be so moved by a poem, a song, a painting, a story, a movie, and many other forms of art. These things can have such an effect on us because they take the emotions we feel and they make them into something we can almost reach out and touch. For many, emotions can be hard to deal with. We can find it hard to identify and deal with them. But a song can describe the feelings through the lyrics, display the emotion through the music - the rhythm, the pace, the melody, harmony - they can help us in the process of realising our feelings and ultimately dealing with them. 

The above paragraph is what makes me love music - the way I can identify with certain artists and styles. The expression of feeling and experience and knowing that I am not alone in having those feelings or experiences. However, music is beneficial in even more ways than this. There are lots of studies that back this up. It has been found that music can reduce stress, improve mood, reduce symptoms of depression, and even reduce pain levels. If I’m going running, I have found it easier to listen to upbeat music. The music distracts from the fatigue and can be a real help if you are struggling through a run or other form of exercise. 

From a student’s perspective, I listen to music a lot while studying. Depending on what I’m studying, I’ll listen to Hozier or David Keenan, or if I’m reading through papers or something more difficult, I’ll listen to guitar/piano instrumentals. It just helps me focus on study and I can get into a zone where I don’t get distracted by stupid things as much as I would otherwise. 

Finally, music can just be a mood booster. A good upbeat tune can give me a boost in the morning. I sometimes give out about crap pop songs that have nothing but a catchy tune, but sometimes they can be the best ones to give me a bit of energy. And it goes without saying that a good rebel tune will always get me fired up!

So, whether you are a lover of music or not, try and find a genre you like and styles that suit what you want out of it - the mood boost, the study, the sleep, etc. Most importantly, try and find music you identify with and really appreciate because I think this is what will help with more important things like stress/anxiety.”

This is the last blog of our mental health campaign. Thanks to everyone who sent in a submission, who read, who liked and who shared. Hopefully we were able to help a couple of people along the way. If none of our blogs helped you, don’t worry. Nothing works for everyone but it is important to keep trying. There are always people there to help you do so. Tá laethanta níos ghile romhainn.