Music is the universal language that brings everyone
together. It crosses language barriers, cultural barriers, and many other
barriers. In fact, it was Latin Music that I learned to speak Spanish. I would
put on some Celia Cruz, Selena, or Gloria Estefan and listen and sing along.
But I would look up the lyrics. So, I saw the words I was learning. What I
didn’t know was how listening to music improved my mood. When I go for a walk
at night, I use my portable CD player, which I've had since I got an iPod. From
there, I used it and created playlists for my walks or meditation. I would walk
around my town listening to music, and both my mood and mental health improved.
It’s music
that affects your mental health and mood. Science is proving that music does
affect the brain and its chemistry. In an article from Harvard Medical School,
the study looks at how the brain resonates with music. This also explains how
music can heal (Eck, 2024). This is part of the reason why music is so
powerful. I witnessed this in real time, back in 2023, my dad was in the ICU,
and it looked like he was going to die. My aunt came to visit him in the
hospital. She was playing music on her phone, and when her battery was going,
we switched to my dad’s phone, which I had. I played his doo wop music on
YouTube. I found a playlist; listening to music boosted his mood and helped him
heal. It was evident when his favorite songs came on. One of them was "Reunite"
by Peaches and Herb; it’s my parents’ song. It boosted his mood, and we made
sure that music was part of his day. My brothers were able to fix his phone so
he could have his music.
When
I started my spiritual journey, the energy healer I went to at the time played
Reiki music during my sessions. The music helped create a relaxing atmosphere.
When I was a massage therapist, the music made a difference. That was why, when
I taught massage therapy, I made sure to bring “spa music” into the classroom
while my students practiced. For the professional use of the music, it helps in
the healing process.
When
it came to music, love songs by women and girl groups like the short-lived girl
group Eden’s Crush. Their songs “Love This Way” and “Promise Me” spoke to me in
a way. It was how I loved as an expression to the straight boys I had a crush
on in high school. But it’s the music from boy bands that spoke to me
differently. It was how I wish the straight boys were crushing on me. I would
imagine the straight boy I was crushing on would be singing to me. This is how
I was able to feed my poetry. Through music and people watching. But also how I
processed feelings and emotions.
As
well as decades of unrequited love from both gay and straight boys. This is one
of those “when life gives lemons” kind of situations. Not going to lie, it
hurts, but it makes for great content. I understand where Taylor Swift came
from when she wrote songs about her past relationships. There is something
deeply freeing when you can release.
It’s
through music that I was able to write from an honest place. In the place, I
would dig deeper and find everything that I needed. From darkness, light, love,
pain, and anxiety. I would write from different perspectives, allowing myself
to ask questions and find answers. We can be our own worst enemy, and I’m not
immune. When I read my work, I feel like it’s not good, it’s superficial, it’s just
not right. But others say it’s good. There aren’t enough people in the world to
get me to change my mind. But I publish it anyway. I’m not someone who publishes
their best. I will give you everything and let my readers decide. It’s because of
the power of music that inspires me.
The Healing Effects of Music on Your
Mental Health
Music
is key to everyone’s lives; we hear it every day and everywhere. We can’t
escape it, no matter how hard we try to. Certain songs evoke excitement in us,
like the theme song to our favorite shows. When you hear it, you can smile and
sing along. Music invokes something in us; it can lift our moods, inspire
creativity, and it can help us sleep. There are times when I lie in bed
listening to music and I fall asleep. Some of my poems and story ideas come
from fan videos that someone made and posted on YouTube. I can create while
listening to music. Right now, I am listening to music while writing this post.
Listening
to music can increase endorphins, support mindfulness, and improve sleep (The
Healing Power of Music: How Positive Music Boosts Mental Health, 2025). Music
is emotions, its feelings, and it's life-giving. The power it has is intense.
Imagine you had a bad day at work, you got into your car, and you had a jam
session. When you get home, you feel better. It’s because of the music. You are
having the day from hell; you are alone in your home. You put on the Spice Girls,
you pretend you are on stage as a Spice Girl. Between the dancing, the music,
and the singing, you lift your mood, you are feeling better, and your day from
hell is better (How Listening to Music Affects Your Mood, 2022).
As powerful
music is, it can make us feel a wide range of emotions. There is a song by
Irish Girl Group B*Witched off their second album, Awake and Breathe, titled
“It Was Our Day”; it’s about loss and mourning. When I hear it, I get emotional
and think about my maternal grandmom, who passed away two days before my 11th
birthday. It’s a beautiful song, and I included it on my grief playlist.
The balance
I am trying to give is the powerful effects music has on our moods. It’s a pathway
of emotions, feelings, and experiences. Artists in their many forms use their
own emotions, feelings, thoughts, and experiences to craft their lyrics and
music. From there, we can connect to it because we have been there, or it
resonates with us and our situation. We can find something within the music
that lifts our mood, provides an emotional release, and puts us in the zone to work
out at the gym. Or you have a house cleaning mix, which I love to do when I'm
alone at home. No matter what you use music for, it has a purpose, and it has power.
What are you listening to?
References
Eck, A.
(2024, March). How Music Resonates in the Brain. Harvard Medicine.
https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/how-music-resonates-brain
The
Healing Power of Music: How Positive Music Boosts Mental Health. (2025, April
6). The Wellness Blossom. https://wellnessblossom.org/2025/04/06/the-healing-power-of-music-how-positive-music-boost-mental-health/
How
Listening to Music Affects Your Mood. (2022) Psychology Today.
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