If you love listening to music, you are not alone. Music is a universal language that unites people of all backgrounds and cultures. Many of us listen to music for a variety of reasons whether it is to calm down at night or pump ourselves up for a good workout. Plus, listening to music really helps when doing monotonous chores.
For some reason, it seems to make the time go by much more quickly–especially when you get lost in a song and want to hear it again and again. In fact, there is a reason we feel good after listening to music–research shows that music can improve our health and mental well-being.
So, go ahead and play your favorite tunes.
Music Makes You Smile
Research has shown that listening to music you like releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. This chemical makes you feel good. Of course, you must use the best music player you can get your hands on because static and garble only make the experience worse.
Once the sound is clear, dopamine is released, which can make you feel excitement, joy and happiness. This is just one of the many reasons why we like listening to music–because it makes you feel good. Notice how when you’re sad, you turn on some music?
If you ever need an emotional boost, just listen to your favorite songs for 15 or 20 minutes.
Music Helps Improve Your Exercise
Have you ever started exercising when you were tired? Perhaps you work out in the morning, and you didn’t get enough rest the night before. Then, one of your favorite, high-energy songs comes on and you feel as if you can work out for days?
If you were on a treadmill, you might bump up the speed or the incline. You’re pumping your fist in the air, bobbing your head. You just feel as if you are on top of the world. This is because music can be inspiring, especially when it is composed of melodies and beats that lift you higher and higher.
Music Improves Your Stress Levels
Music can be healing. Music touches all of us; it can make us happy and sad. We get taken away when we listen to music, and it evokes both memories and dreams. Yet, listening to music can lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your body.
Since many of our illnesses are directly related to stress, reducing our cortisol levels can have a significant impact. And, it gets better if you participate whether you sing or play an instrument.
So, if you need some stress relief, sing along to your favorite streaming station.
Final Thought
Learning that music makes us happy and relieves stress is welcome news for many of us music lovers. What’s even better is it doesn’t cost much to listen to music; it is available for people of all economic backgrounds.
Even the simple act of singing along can help to dramatically decrease stress. So, don’t feel bad if you’re that friend to sings with every song.
