How Music Affects Your Mood

Music not only gives you something to sing and dance to, but it also can make you feel happier. Studies have shown that music therapy helps to ease the symptoms of depression and even helps to relieve pain.

Multiple studies and experiments have proven that any type of music will boost your mood. However, others show that different types of music have different effects on your emotions, some may even lead to not so happy feelings. Even though it is not a proven fact that two people feel the same emotions when listening to the same music, certain areas of music have been linked with specific feelings.

Classical music is one of the least popular music selections around, but it is one of the most empowering. Classical music has been found to increase creativity, reduce tension and enhance specific types of intelligence such as verbal ability and spatial-temporal reasoning. It does not make you more intelligent, but instead provides you with an ideal environment for thinking. Listening to classical music can be an effective therapy to give yourself, as it will leave you feeling calm, content, and productive.

Country music is one of the genres that doesn't promote happy feelings. In fact, country music has been linked to depression and suicide. Suicide rates for Caucasian Americans living in metropolitan areas are higher in those cities where more country music is played on the radio. If you find yourself feeling down and depressed, country music is definitely not the music you want to be listening to.

Rap or hip hop music has varying effects on people. Young adults, both male and female, who listen to rap music are generally more accepting of violence towards women. Rap songs are more known to promote angry feelings than any other. However, there are numerous people who state that rap music makes them feel more relaxed. Others feel more energetic and happy because a lot of rap music promotes dancing and movement. This genre is just one of the examples of music with diverse results.

The effects of rock and punk music are similar to those of rap. It can leave a listener feeling angrier than before, but at the same time gives them an adrenaline rush like no other kind of music. This adrenaline rush of energy can actually increase happiness in certain individuals. It allows people to escape from their situations and relieve some built up stress. The effect of rock and roll will really just depend on the person listening to it. If you enjoy this type of music, then the positive effects will take place. However, if you don't prefer listening to rock, then the angry and annoyed feelings will come out of it.

Next time you are listening to music, stop and think about how it is affecting your feelings. Learning how each type influences your mood can really put you more in control of your life and emotions.