How to Use Music for Mental Health

Music for Mental Health

Music can become your mental health’s best friend if you use it right. Mental health professionals have long understood the benefits of music to mental health. There are still a great many studies to be conducted in order to understand exactly how music heals mental health issues, but we know that music can greatly affect a person’s mood, heart rate, blood pressure and overall chemical balance. In order to understand how music can help your mental health, try experimenting with music in different arenas. Try the following to see what suits you best:

Listen to music while doing nothing else. Some people find that putting on headphones and closing their eyes while listening to music is their favorite way of taking it in. Focusing solely on the music and shutting out other stimulation can take you to a very deep, serene place within yourself. Try zeroing in on your favorite tunes to reach a state of Zen.

Listen to music while doing simple tasks. There are those who claim that music helps them the most when it is in the background to their mundane tasks. Doing chores and paying bills are tasks we grow very accustomed to and bored with, but if there is music playing in the background, it may be just the thing you need to convince your brain that you are doing something original.

Listen to music while executing a different creative task. Creative types tend to love working on their creative medium with music accompaniment. Whether it is drawing, painting, sewing, cooking or something other artistic medium, music can stimulate the creative faculties and inspire your own creative works immensely.

Write music. Never to be overlooked is the process of actually writing music. For those who choose music as their creative form of expression, the creative process can be highly rewarding. This outlet is not for everyone as music is selective in who it gifts with creative talent. But everyone should experiment with it to see what it can do for them.