Can you imagine your life without music? No upbeat songs blasting in the gym. No calming music soothing your nerves. No throwback jams giving you nostalgia.
We all listen to music. In the shower. On the way to class. While doing homework. Every day, we hear songs. And they get stuck in our heads long after we stopped listening to them. Music has a large influence on us, both behavioral and neural. This means that it affects our mood but also affects things we cannot control.
Knowing how music affects your mood changes your perspective on the types of music you listen to. Do you pay attention to what type of music you listen to?
Studies have shown that listening to upbeat music prompts our brains to release dopamine and serotonin, which are chemicals in the brain that make you feel happy. This type of music not only energizes you, but also boosts your creativity.
On the other hand, sadder music allows us to empathize with lyrics, which lets the human brain let go of negative emotions and experiences.
Louder, faster types of music like rock can give us adrenaline and pumps us up for activities like the gym.
Classical music can reduce blood cortisol, which is a stress hormone, and also relax the body and the mind.
Here’s some of my favorite songs to put me in a good mood:
- Everybody Talks by Neon Trees
- Tongue Tied by Grouplove
- Electric Love by BORNS
- Animal by Neon Trees
- 3 Nights by Dominic Fike
- Riptide by Vance Joy
- La La Land by Bryce Vine
- Blame It on Me by George Ezra
- Talk Too Much by COIN
- Back to You by Twin Forks
- You Know It by Colony House