Could Music Help With Mental Health?
As a student, music has a wide range of effects on my mental health. Let me describe an example. You are heading to class and notice a group of people talking about something exciting. You get closer and overhear them saying the class has a substitute instructor. As you enter class, sit down, and get your equipment, you reach inside your bag for your Chromebook. After that, what is the first question you would like to ask your teacher? If you were brave enough you would, perhaps, ask your teacher if everyone can listen to music. They would say, "No, it will distract you" or "You won't get your work done". I'm writing about how music influences your mental health and why it should be included in education and your life.
Let’s look at the benefits of music. Firstly, music helps you sleep. It is extremely essential since it influences not only our productivity but also our mental health. Inadequate sleep can have a negative influence on our health, including depression, heart disease, and stroke. Music can aid improve sleep quality, promote positive moods, and manage discomfort.
The Sleep Foundation says playing music before bed may decrease the time it takes to fall asleep and improve sleep quality. It quotes several studies, including one from the National Library of Medicine. The studies suggest that music enhances sleep because of its effects on the regulation of hormones, including the stress hormone cortisol. The Sleep Foundation says being stressed and having elevated levels of cortisol can increase alertness and lead to poor sleep. Listening to music decreases levels of cortisol.
The second benefit of music is that it supports exercise. I've talked to a lot of folks I know who are athletic. The vast majority of them stated that they always listen to music, such as using headphones when going for a morning run or performing circuit exercises. Exercising is an essential part of our everyday lives; it keeps us physically and psychologically healthy. Without exercise, you risk developing heart disease. Music is a distraction when exercising; it reduces tension and helps individuals synchronise their motions.
Jenny Markell, from the National Center for Health Research, says listening to music while exercising doesn’t just relieve boredom — it can help improve the quality of your workout by increasing your stamina and putting you in a better mood. Markell adds music that is motivational or synchronised with your exercise is shown to have physical and psychological effects. The lyrics or catchy rhythm of motivational music inspires you to exercise longer or work harder during your exercise routine.
My third argument is that music influences us when we are working, whether we are studying mathematics at school or writing an essay for our professors. Music may stimulate the brain and increase your concentration on a task.
The website Healthline says research suggests that music can help reduce stress during an academic task and that it may help with memory and processing during tasks that require thinking. However, this may depend on the type of music and the individual. Another study by the Healthline found that music depends on the individual. There is evidence that classical symphonies or relaxing music are a good choice for managing stress, but also that upbeat music might boost a person’s thinking processes.
Music is different for each generation. While it universally seems to help people work and relax, it is perhaps the type of music that is key. While many kids today love to listen to K-pop it might be difficult to get it blasting out in classrooms when teachers would, perhaps rather be listening to Amadeus Mozart or David Bowie.
