As you drive down the road listening to the radio, a song plays that turns on your happy switch. You feel better and are ready to tackle whatever the day brings. Music’s magic is back! But how can it have such an intangible effect on us?
The human brain is complex. When we listen to music, many things happen in the brain.
Dopamine is a good thing.
Research shows that subjects feel chills when listening to music that triggers dopamine release in their brains. Dopamine, a naturally occurring happy chemical that we get as part of our reward system, is what you need to know. Here’s the interesting part: Dopamine is not only released during peak musical moments but also when we anticipate these moments. Our brain rewards us for anticipating a great chorus!
Neurology and nostalgia go hand in hand.
A song from our childhood brings back many memories and emotions. Why do these songs hold such an emotional connection? Between the ages of 12 and 22, our brains grow rapidly. There’s a reason people call these our “formative years”. It’s when we feel a strong neurological connection with a song. Our brains know that everything is important because of the massive hormonal rush associated with our pubescent years. This includes music that we are listening to. It’s because we hear music reminiscent of our high school days that it’s so powerful.
Positive thinking (and listening!) works.
For ages, psychologists and self-help gurus have been studying the impact of positive thinking. But what about positive listening? Can you listen to upbeat music intentionally to improve your mood? While we know that music can give us chills and release dopamine, a separate study showed that people who listened to upbeat music in conscious mode had a greater ability to improve their moods. This was only two weeks. A separate group was asked to listen to music that was not deemed to be positive. They didn’t notice the same mood-boosting effects. You might find a song that makes you smile the next time you feel blue.
Musicians have more benefits.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on the many benefits of playing guitar in honor of International Guitar Month. Apart from the joy and freedom that music can give us, it also helps to improve our memory. Evidence has shown that musicians can learn and retain more content than non-musicians. They also have an advantage when learning new languages. This makes sense if you consider music to be a universal language.
You might think about how music affects your mood the next time you listen to it. Or maybe not. This is the beauty of music — it’s ingrained in our lives and seems to bring us joy when it’s most needed. It’s possible to listen to it and enjoy the lyrics.