Putting on my ‘dance music’ play list is a must when I clean the house; ‘Jazz’ when I am cooking in the kitchen, and ‘Good Mood Music’ when on a road trip. We can all attest to the powerful effect that music has on us – it can uplift us when we are feeling blue, it can accompany us through our daily tasks, it has the ability to relax us.
In a recent article entitled “Music takes 13 minutes to ‘release sadness’ and 9 to make you happy, according to new study” by Helena Asprou and featured on Classic fm, we read about a study that was conducted at the British Academy of Sound Therapy (BAST), in which participants noted that the use of music helped them to relax, to feel happier, to process sad feelings and to concentrate. I quote:
“The best music for relaxation had a slow tempo, simple melody and no lyrics, with an optimum listening time of 13 minutes – and many benefits were reported, including ‘decreased muscle tension, negative thoughts disappearing, feeling peaceful and contented and being able to sleep better. Meanwhile, only nine minutes of music (mostly songs with a driving rhythm, fast tempo and positive lyrical content) is required to make people feel uplifted. An impressive 89 percent had improved energy levels, 65 percent laughed more and others felt more in control of their lives or able to ‘take on anything’ – an encouraging result for medical professionals looking for new ways to treat patients with mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression.”
We most likely can all confirm that we have experience with music that echoes this study’s results. This article is a lovely reminder that in order to allow music to work its magic on our emotional health, we have to consciously use it; making sure our playlists are full and we have built them into our daily routine. 🙂
To read the full article (they include a lovely summarized chart): https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/music-to-release-sadness-and-feel-happier-study/
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