In 1967, Jazz pioneer Louis Armstrong wrote in a letter that ‘Music is life itself’, and this article will not argue otherwise.
Studies in the last decade or so have shown that teenagers and young adults spend too much time on their screens, thus impacting their sleep, as well as their self-esteem with social media, and their attention span with digital games. However, what about music, which for most teenagers and young adults is an integral part of life and represents one of the principal uses of their screens.
Today, it is not an euphemism to say that most young adults indulge in music. They often wake up to the sound of music they like; they take the tube or bus, or walk accompanied by music. They also have tunes on their headphones whilst working and cannot deem a workout good, if it has not been punctuated by a worthy playlist.
When asked, for the purposes of a psychological study, why music takes up such an important role in their lives, teenagers and young adults mostly refer to the power of music as an emotional regulator and a means to positively improve their mood.
Neuroscientists, such as in a John Hopkins medicine study, have shown that listening to music has positive effects on a multitude of health-related areas: it can reduce anxiety and pain, as well as improve your sleep quality, stimulate your brain and many other benefits you would have never thought of while listening to your favourite playlist. This means that by singing your heart out to the lyrics of the Strokes or of Taylor Swift’s latest song, you’re actually training your brain and improving your mental alertness as well as your memory.
Music also stimulates the reward part of your brain, releasing hits of dopamine, the hormone of happiness. Therefore, if you have noticed a correlation between listening to music and being in a better mood, it is not insignificant, but proof that listening to music does have a positive impact on your wellbeing.
Granted, different genres of music have different effects, and these effects on the brain and overall health tend to vary from person to person. But, whichever genre we look at, there seem to be only perks from listening to music. The perfect genre exists to fit the personalities of each and everyone.
If you tend to be an overthinker, or simply over-stressed, Jazz is the way to go for you, as studies show that this style of music leads to feeling calm and relaxed.
If your big issue is a lack of self-confidence, trust Metal to put you back on the path of heightened self-esteem. Against all odds, Metal music is also associated, by participants of a neuroscience study, to a feeling of being at peace, the extreme music having a calming effect. For the uninitiated, begin with some classics such as: The Offsprings or Metallica, or simply the ‘Old School Metal’ playlist on Spotify.
Classical music offers a variety of benefits including ‘the Mozart Effect’ theory which assumes that listening to Classical music enhances brain performances, focus, and thus productivity, in addition to acting as a catalyst for improving health and well-being. The most surprising however, is the study showing that Classical music is effective in deterring crime.
If what you need is extra motivation for your training, listen to some Pop music, as studies have shown that Pop increases both motivation and endurance, leading to overall better physical performances.
Finally, what about Rock? Once again, upbeat music has been proven to release endorphins, meaning that a good rock playlist will not only make you happy but also strengthen your immune system.
Next time someone warns you against the potential adverse effects of your excessive screen time, simply answer by explaining the numerous benefits of the music you listen to on your physical, mental, and emotional health.
Recommended Links:
https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-music
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/keep-your-brain-young-with-music
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_ways_music_can_make_you_healthier
https://verilymag.com/2019/12/brain-science-benefits-of-listening-to-a-wide-variety-of-music-genres
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/heavy-metal-extreme-music-calmer_n_7636534
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