How Music Helps Us Heal

On some level, all humans understand the power of music. This universal connection is evident in how music and mental health are intertwined, as music pulses throughout the best and worst moments of our lives. A newborn baby is soothed to sleep by it. Toddlers learn language through it. We dance to it, integrate it into our wedding and funerals, and are united by it. Our cultures are shaped by it. Music is transformative because it can change the atmosphere, ease hurts, motivate action, and move us into the light.

When you or someone you care about struggles with mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, or other issues, music therapy for mental health can be a powerful tool. Because of its direct impact on the body, it can be used to uplift and empower us when we face emotional challenges. Women can especially be prone to these challenges because of the hormonal and reproductive changes that happen during pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause. How does music affect the brain? Let’s dive in.

How Does Music Affect Mental Health?

Music and mental health are inextricably connected. Music is like a mental health first-aid kit, a powerful act of self-care in the moment you need it most. Curling up with a favorite playlist and letting familiar melodies trigger positive memories while relaxing into the rhythm and flow of the sound can help you shift from anxious thoughts into a calmer state. When you hear artists express emotions in lyrics that mirror your own struggles, you feel both validated and, simultaneously, less alone in your struggle.

Here are some other ways music and mental health intersect:

• Creating music can be exceptionally therapeutic. When you’re stressed, your body produces cortisol, but listening to music can actually lower this stress byproduct. Music can also cause your brain to release dopamine, a chemical linked to happiness and reward.
• Playing an instrument or singing channels difficult emotions into a creative outlet. It can be a form of emotional release that helps you process and express your feelings when words and conversations are uncomfortable.
• Studies show how music affects mental health and our bodies, too. We all know that the faster the tempo, the more you want to move. And the more you move, the better you feel mentally and physically. Slower tempos can inspire meditation and mindfulness, help your body relax, and improve the amount and quality of your sleep.
• Listening to music even impacts pain management. One study showed that patients who listened to music before, during, or even after surgery experienced not only less anxiety, but also less pain, requiring fewer pain medications, shares The Lancet.

Other benefits of listening to music include:

• Music increases stamina, performance, and the benefit of exercise by lowering the perception of exertion.
• Music engages multiple regions of the brain, like the limbic system, which helps process emotions and improves memory, according to Health Psychology Review and Nature Neuroscience. This may be partly why music is known to bring back memories.
• Music improves cognitive memory in the elderly and in adults with dementia.
• Music decreases anxiety and depression in people with neurological conditions like Parkinson’s or stroke.
• Music improves palliative care by helping the terminally ill connect to the power of their own humanity and to their loved ones during their last days of life.

How Music Connects Us

Music nurtures connection in compelling ways, further illustrating the strong relationship between music and mental health. Think about your experience when you attend a concert with friends or family. How does it feel to sing or scream at the top of your lungs with thousands of other fans? Singing or playing together creates a sense of community and belonging, which can be especially powerful during challenging times.

Music strengthens your bonds and builds resilience in three key ways:

1. Shared emotional experience – Music has a universal language that transcends words. Whether singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” with a stadium of baseball fans or belting out Prince’s “Purple Rain” with friends, music connects you on an emotional level. These shared experiences create a sense of belonging and togetherness.
2. Community building – From joining a choir to forming a band, music brings people together around a shared passion. This collaborative spirit encourages a sense of community and belonging. Encouragement, acceptance, and a safe space to express yourself can give you a real sense of place and purpose.
3. Emotional release – Music allows you to process and express a wide range of emotions, from sorrow to joy. Creating music, whether playing an instrument or singing, is an empowering experience, helping you release pent-up emotions and navigate difficult seasons in your life. Also, listening to positive, uplifting music creates a sense of hope and optimism, essential tools for building resilience.

Music Therapy for Mental Health

Exploring emotions through music can be a powerful therapeutic tool if you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. Music therapy for mental health involves working with a trained professional to engage in activities like composition, improvisation, or songwriting. This process can enhance your introspection, help you identify the root of emotional struggles, and equip you with coping mechanisms and communication skills, offering valuable support for managing mental health conditions.

“When you join with other human beings through music, there’s no other experience like it,” Dr. Kenneth Aigen tells The New York Times. Dr Aigen, a director of music therapy at NYU and Grateful Dead cover band keyboardist, says, “I think it completely changes how you think of yourself.”

At Meadows Behavioral Healthcare facilities, we offer a variety of music therapy approaches to promote healing and community among our patients. Several of our campuses feature Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), a therapeutic listening intervention model that uses computer-modified music to help you regulate emotions and create a sense of safety. This approach, based on the research of Dr. Stephen Porges, involves stimulating the vagus nerve to calm the nervous system. The music itself is designed to rehabilitate middle ear muscle function and reduce auditory hypersensitivity.

Our Brain Center at Willow House at The Meadows, in addition to SSP intervention, also offers bilateral music via hemi-sync devices which can positively impact stress levels, mood, sleep, and pain management. These devices can boost brainwave states associated with greater focus and concentration, which are especially beneficial for those who struggle with ADHD. Our team at Willow House also provides a variety of musical instruments for patients to use during their downtime as a form of self-expression.

We Are Here to Help

At Willow House, we offer a variety of therapy approaches from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and EMDR to 12-Step and holistic-wellness offerings. We also know the power music can have in helping a number of mental health issues. We’re here to foster both community and connection, as well as help women like you achieve positive resilience and recovery. Reach out to us today to get started.

What Is a Sound Bath?

One newer modality many treatment programs are offering with their therapy approaches is a sound bath meditation. A sound bath is a form of passive music therapy designed for deep relaxation and stress reduction, where you experience the benefits of listening to music and soothing soundscapes without actively creating them.

Here’s what the sound bath meditation process looks like:

• Immersive soundscape – A trained facilitator uses various instruments such as singing bowls, gongs, chimes, or even recordings of nature sounds to build a serene and immersive soundscape.
• Focus on vibrations – Certain instruments are selected not just for their melodies but for the unique vibrations they produce. These vibrations resonate through the body, encouraging physical relaxation and emotional release.
• Rest and rejuvenation – During a sound bath, you typically lie down in a comfortable position and allow the sound and vibrations to wash over you. This induces a deeply relaxed state, often promoting stress reduction, improved sleep, mental clarity, and an overall sense of well-being.

Benefits of Sound Baths

Sound baths offer a multisensory, meditative experience that helps quiet the mind, ease anxiety, and reduce mental chatter. Some additional benefits include:

• Deep relaxation and improved emotional balance
• Reduced physical tension and chronic stress
• Enhanced focus, mindfulness, and clarity
• Relief from symptoms of trauma or PTSD

No prior experience with meditation is required to enjoy a sound bath. The practice is accessible to anyone looking for an easy, relaxing way to achieve mental, emotional, and physical balance.