The Soundtrack For Your Life
Although I never learned how to play an instrument and my karaoke skills are mediocre at best, I’ve always loved music. I grew up constantly having music on while studying, I love finding the perfect songs for our annual year in review videos, and I appreciate almost all genres of music. I say “almost” because there are a couple that I just can’t seem to warm up to. I have often found myself walking, deep in thought, reflecting on something impactful that had just happened to me and wondered if I was in a movie - What song would be playing right now? While I’ve always enjoyed music, I’ve never taken the time to understand why it can be so beneficial….until now!
Music has the incredible power to evoke emotions and alter your current mental and physiological state. Listening to fast music has been proven to increase heart rate, breathing and blood pressure, while slow music does the opposite. When you hear music that you like, your brain actually releases a shot of dopamine - causing sensations of pleasure and reward. Music can be used to alter your mood, relieve stress, energize, calm, or help you focus, and even cure boredom. Music actually changes our perception with time, causing “time to fly” by and hence why it’s used in waiting rooms all over the world.
Music helps improve memory, and not just a catchy verse that gets stuck in your head. Have you ever heard a song and it brought you back to a very specific moment in time, where you actually feel what you were feeling then? This occurs because memories that are associated with music actually last well beyond those without. And studies have actually shown how music can help those struggling with dementia. Music also inspires action, not just toe tapping or dancing, but it can act as a prompt when you are stuck to make a decision and move forward. And finally, music provides an escape. It allows us to disengage from difficult times and when the lyrics align with the events in our lives, it puts words to what we are feeling.
All of these incredible benefits get amplified when we get to experience live performances. The ability to connect visually with the artists and see their emotions adds another element in our ability to connect with them. The shared energy and emotional response with other attendees creates a memory that leaves us feeling inspired. Having attended two shows in the last month, I found myself realizing just how much I missed concerts over the past year.
So there you have it! Music isn’t just fun to listen to, it can have a number of positive impacts on our lives. I know I will be more mindful moving forward about using music to help me be my best and I hope you will too. How are you using music to show up as your best self? What songs are on the soundtrack for your life?