Using Music to Help With Seasonal Emotions
Research consistently suggests an uptick in depressive symptoms during the winter months, a phenomenon commonly known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Care from a licensed counselor is our number one recommendation for anyone facing mental health concerns, but music can be a great therapeutic tool to add to your wellness toolkit during this time of year.
* If you or someone you know needs immediate help, call 911 (emergency line) or 988 (metal health crisis line).
Neurological Effects:
Music activates various areas of the brain associated with emotion regulation and reward. Music stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and mood regulation, providing a natural boost to one's emotional well-being. Listening to music can also lower cortisol levels, the hormone associated with stress, promoting a sense of calm and relaxation.
Music can also activate memories and emotions which can create a positive emotional response. However, it is important to note, especially this time of year, that music can also trigger a negative emotional response. If holiday music is making you feel worse, you’re not being a grinch if you avoid it – you’re just setting a healthy boundary for yourself.
Practical Tips for Using Music Therapeutically:
Create Personalized Playlists: Tailor your music selections to your mood and preferences. Create playlists that are associated with positive memories or include specific songs that “tickle your brain.”
Engage in Active Listening: Instead of using music just in the background, try actively engaging with the music. Choose one element to focus on (i.e. the lyrics, melodies, rhythm, certain instruments) as a form of mindfulness practice for the duration of one or two songs.
Explore Different Genres: Experiment with scrolling through your music app instead of scrolling through social media for a set period of time and explore some genres or artists you haven’t listened to before.
We hope these ideas are helpful for you during this season. If you would like more personalized assistance engaging in music in a therapeutic way, you can set up a session with one of our board-certified music therapists by visiting our registration page.
