3 Ways That Music Therapy May Improve Mental Wellbeing

Disclaimer: This article is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.

Our hectic modern lifestyles can be stressful to manage.

It’s only natural to look for ways to prioritize mental health and reduce symptoms of stress that naturally arise from the demands of work and family. But what if one of the ways you could reduce stress was already on your Spotify playlist? 

The answer is music. Music therapy has been shown to generally have a positive impact on certain aspects of our mental state and has been linked to helping people relax and reduce anxiety. In this article, we’ll look at three ways music therapy has been shown to be beneficial to mental wellbeing and the research behind those findings. 

Music-Based Treatments For Anxiety And Stress

There have been a number of studies on the effectiveness of music-based treatments for anxiety, and the results have often been positive. In a study of music-based interventions involving people with cancer. The anxiety levels of participants appeared to be significantly reduced by listening to recorded music. There was some improvement in physical outcome as well, music was believed to have a minor effect on heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate. 

Additional research has shown that a wide range of different music types can be used to reduce stress. Nature sounds such as rain and thunder can be calming, as well Celtic music, Native American music, and flute and drum music. Light jazz and easy listening music also seem to do a good job soothing people. 

When looking for tunes to reduce stress just don’t force yourself to listen to a certain kind of music. For example if you find drum music irritating, then drum music will not work to lower your stressful feelings. They may make you feel more stressed. Experiment with what kind of music works best for elevating your mood and putting you into a calmer frame of mind. 

Music Therapy For Depression

Music can be a quick way to get a boost of energy, just the enjoyment of listening to music can often help people feel more energetic. But is there evidence music therapy could be used to treat depression? A review of studies involving more than 400 participants showed a moderate level of evidence for using music therapy for depression in addition to usual treatment programs. 

The study showed a positive correlation between both music therapy for treating depression and the ability of music therapy to aid in helping people experiencing depression to function. 

Music-Based Interventions For Sleep Disorders

Lastly, let’s look at what the research shows about the potential for music therapy in treating sleep disorders. A systematic review of studies of 812 older adult participants suggests that certain music interventions for sleep may be more helpful than others. 

While other studies have shown music therapy to have a more pronounced positive effect. In one study, listening to music before bed was found to help improve quality of sleep, reduce severe insomnia, and make it easier to fall asleep. Overall, the effect of music therapy was shown to be comparable to powerful prescription drugs for insomnia.

Takeaway

Ongoing research is exploring the potential power of music to improve a wide range of health concerns, ranging from premature infants and Parkinson’s disease patients to older adults experiencing depression. Whether you’re looking for a way to improve your sleep or just seeking ways to reduce stress, music could be a simple, inexpensive tool you can use to support your mental wellbeing.