Different Ways Music Can Enhance Our Lives

Music Can Effect Our Mood and Behavior

Most of us realize that music has the power to effect our mood simply by the experience of listing to music. And because music can effect our mood, it has an affect on our behavior as well. So, if you find yourself angry, and you want to change that, listen to a song you enjoy about love and good will towards men.

A study was done with college students. For some participants they played annoying music, some they played anti-social music, some pro social music, some uplifting music, and some no music. During the study, the students behavior and mood were examined and the results were significant in that the mood and behavior was more positive while listening to the prosocial and uplifting music, but more negative while not listening to music, or listening to annoying music, or anti-social music.

Other studies are out there too about music's effects on mood. People who are depressed and listen to music and lyrics that involve depression, continue to be depressed. But a person that is depressed and listens to uplifting music is more likely to become happier.

However, depressing music has it's place.

Music Connects Us

If we are feeling depressed and we listen to a song about an artist struggling with depression, we will not feel alone in our depression. We are messy human beings with a lot of emotions and we live in a difficult world. Listening to happy music can help among meditating, eating healthy, and a myriad of other things. However, sometimes life is hard and we just need to know we are not alone.

Music connects us when we are happy too and can further elevate our mood. We use music to celebrate with each other because we sing on birthdays and we listen to music at weddings and other parties. Additionally, we come up with dances to the music so that we are participating and enjoying the music together. Hymns are sung to connect people of the same faith. In other words, music creates a sense of social relatedness.

Music Helps as a Natural Medicine

Music therapy has been around as a professional degree since 1950. Music therapist help babies who are still in the womb, children and adults with mental disorders, and up to the elderly who are declining in health and mental capability. It decrease physical pain, depression and anxiety, helps disability acceptance, and helps individuals who can't speak due to brain damage find a new way to talk through accessing other parts of the brain with music and singing.

There are countless examples of how music and music therapy have helped individuals. One music therapist helped a baby in the womb and after the baby was born, whose mother was brain dead. She also helped a man with sever brain damage learn to speak again with singing. Music therapists can help weak and depressed individuals get ready for a serious surgery.

Today, the amount of research we have to help people with music could fill a large library on it's own. Check out this website to start exploring more.

What The Bible Says About Music

There are many verses in the New Testament and the Old Testament in the Bible that says we should sing praise to God. We also have examples of how signing and music is beneficial for us. God gave us music to lift each other up and teach one another.

1 Corinthians 14:26 (ESV): 26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

We also have a great example of how singing can lift our spirits and those around us from when Paul and Silas were singing in prison. They were chained and and probably not sitting on comfy coaches, but yet, they were still able to sing and lift each other spirits up.

Acts 16:25–26 (ESV): 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

Final Thoughts

Music is all around us and we all carry an instrument with us. We can use this gift from God to help heal ourselves and those around us. I know if I'm feeling anxious, or in some other kind of pain, singing with other Christians, or listing to a good uplifting song has the power to bring me to tears and then pull me back up.

I hope and pray this article has helped you in some way and that you have another tool you can use to benefit your own life and the lives of those around you.