The Power Of Music

I have always been, and continue to be, a music tragic. Pop me in a nightclub that plays those good old pop/rock tunes of the 1980's and 1990's, and I'm so in my element. I'd be front and centre on the dancefloor, with a vodka in my hand, singing at the top of my lungs. If there's a stage to dance on in that club, I'd be up dancing on that, probably after downing a few vodkas though. Sadly, as I continue to age, those days of going out nightclubbing are becoming far and few, and what's worse is, the minimal number of clubs around that actually play that sort of music nowadays anyway. These days, it's all about dance and trance, and personally that's not the genre of music that inspires or thrills me. One thing is for sure, we all have our own different tastes in music. From classical, to jazz, to country, to pop, to rock, to dance, to trance, to blues, to reggae, to soul, to R and B, to funk, to hip hop, to you name it, there are so many different genres of music to choose from, that we are guaranteed to find a certain style of music that appeals to us. We should never underestimate the power of music, and what a blessing it is to have in life. I indicated above one aspect of this power that music possesses, and that is the fact it can bring us happiness. Dancing in a nightclub, singing at the top of my lungs to songs that I love, being played at an extremely loud volume, isn't the only avenue of happiness that music brings me. During my school years, the only times I could ever concentrate on my homework was when I had music playing, to help inspire me, and keep me interested. For some reason it just helped me to focus better. I've been a drummer since primary school, and I absolutely love every opportunity to be hopping behind a drum kit. When hopping in the shower, I have my Spotify playlist blaring away, as I sing along whilst having a wash. Every evening, whilst doing my work, I place a set of headphones over my ears and crank some tunes up on full blast, whilst my daughter sleeps. One of the most satisfying experiences I have in life though is when I hit the open country road in the car, driving away with my favourite songs playing out loud. I could drive for miles doing this.

Happiness isn't the only emotion that music can draw out of us. It can boost our courage, as the lyrics to a certain song may help us to persevere through some adverse times, and remind and encourage us that we have the strength and capability to get through them. It can assist us with belief, as the lyrics may fuel us with inspiration that we are indeed capable of achieving whatever we desire. We can't forget what affect those songs of romance and love can have upon us either. Whether we are in love with that special person, or we are perhaps pursuing that special person, or even just when we are living the single life in the hope that our soul mate is out there waiting for us, music can inspire that wonderful feeling and emotion of love. Music doesn't necessarily just allow us to experience all positive emotions though, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing in this instance. Think about the times we have been through a relationship break up, for example. We listen to those songs about being better off without our former partner, or that karma will come around and inflict revenge on them for how they treated us, or how they cheated on us and they will regret their infidelity in time. What does it do? It helps relieve us off the anger, bitterness, and hurt within us. Normally with these type of songs, we would be sitting in solitude, releasing this anger without others around to witness such an outburst. The bonus to that is that we are finding a far better outlet to relieving ourselves of the anger, bitterness, and hurt, rather than be unfairly taking it out on other people. Sadness is another emotion. Again, using the instance of a relationship break up, or perhaps following the passing of a loved one, just listening to certain songs and their lyrics can drive us to tears, as we come to terms with our loss. We don't want to be wallowing in misery for very long, by any means, because we want to be ensuring our mindset is in a positive space, but we are human after all, and it's only natural to feel upset after such heart-breaking events. Listening to music is again the perfect outlet to release the emotions of sadness and loss.

The power of music isn't limited to the emotional aspect of things though, because there have been many health benefits identified that have been linked back to it also. Research has actually revealed that listening to music can reduce the likes of health issues such as anxiety and high blood pressure, whilst it can also aid sleep quality, mood, mental awareness, and memory. Wow, who would have thought? It can relieve stress by triggering biochemical stress reducers. It can help with depression, as it helps uplift our mood and spirits during difficult times, thanks to an increase in dopamine production within our brain. It can actually help manage and ease pain, through the lowering of stress-related hormone levels. The delicate sound of soft background music has been known to help reduce the amount of food people eat, and at a slower speed, reducing the potential for overindulgence. It can help boost our physical performance and increase endurance when we are engaging in a challenging workout session. The one I really like is the fact that listening to, or playing, music has been proven to improve our memory. How often do you hear a song come on the radio, or you hear it in the car, or you hear it in a nightclub, or perhaps you even just have it playing on your Spotify playlist, and it triggers a memory for you? You perhaps remember where you were, or what you were doing, when you first heard that song. Perhaps it takes you back to a special moment, such as your first dance as a couple on your wedding day, or when you first kissed that someone special? You may begin to reminisce over a wonderful night in the past, when you were out with your friends, and that particular song was playing? Or on the more unhappier spectrum of things, listening to a certain song may bring back memories of a tragic event, or when you were experience times of turbulence. Either way, music has that ability and power to take us back into the past to just relive certain moments within our mind, over again, be it just for a brief second or two.

We have the blessing of music in this world, so why not use it as effectively as possible? Use it as an outlet for anger and stress relief, rather than react and take our mood out on others. Next time you are perhaps feeling angry about something, or you are extremely concerned or worried about something, grab a pair of headphones and get some of your favourite tunes cranking. Allow the music to consume you to the point where that anger, hurt, bitterness, anxiety, and stress all just fade off to the background. Allow the music to lift your spirits, and return you to a state of calmness and contentment. Sing, dance, become engaged with the lyrics, the beat, and the melody. Focus all your attention to the songs you are hearing, and allow yourself to just live in that moment. Let music be that safe space in which you can turn to, in order to find happiness, whilst being the perfect outlet for emotional relief. As the late great Aretha Franklin stated in today's quote, in regards to music, "It’s uplifting, it’s encouraging, it’s strengthening.” Don't ever underestimate the power of music, but instead, allow it to uplift, encourage, and strengthen you! Take on a bit of music therapy of your own today!

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