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Music For Self Care

by Sean Choi

In the ordinary events of everyday life, stress, anxiety, and mental fatigue can quickly build up, leaving us emotionally and physically drained. While many self-care strategies exist, one of the most accessible and effective, yet often overlooked, is music. Whether it’s an instrumental cover, trending pop hits, or seventies rock, music has the power to uplift, calm, and reconnect us with ourselves.

Science continues to confirm what many have always felt: music can heal. Listening to music activates multiple areas of the brain, including those related to emotion, memory, and even movement. Studies have shown that music can reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone), lower heart rate and blood pressure, and even ease symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Soft, instrumental tunes can help calm the nervous system, making them perfect for winding down after a stressful day or completing daily chores. Conversely, energetic playlists can boost motivation and mood during workouts or sluggish mornings. Whether you’re using it to energize or to relax, music adapts to your environment.

 

Beyond its personal benefits, music is a powerful tool for connection. Sharing playlists with friends, attending thrilling concerts, or simply reminiscing through old songs can strengthen bonds and remind us that we’re not alone in our emotions. Music often gives voice to what we struggle to express ourselves.

 

Music can be an epitome of self-care as it is flexible and accessible. So the next time you are feeling drowned in emotions, try listening to some tunes.

 

Works Cited

Cherry, Kendra. “The Surprising Psychological Benefits of Listening to Music.” Verywell Mind, 24 April 2024, https://www.verywellmind.com/surprising-psychological-benefits-of-music-4126866. Accessed 13 July 2025.

Hayes, Tyler. “How to Make Your Music Streaming a Little More Social.” WIRED, 10 February 2021, https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-make-streaming-music-social. Accessed 13 July 2025.

Trafton, Anne. “Exposure to different kinds of music influences how the brain interprets rhythm.” MIT News, 4 March 2024, https://news.mit.edu/2024/exposure-different-kinds-music-influences-how-brain-interprets-rhythm-0304. Accessed 13 July 2025.

 

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