Tonality in Thought: Why Music Is One of The Best Solutions for Improving Mental Health
- Owen Kanienberg
- Apr 25
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 28
By: Owen Kanienberg
What comes to mind when you think of the concept of music? Perhaps it’s a particular band you listen to or have heard of before. Could it be your favorite song or genre that you love the most? Or perhaps it’s an instrument or two that you’ve played for most of your life. Music as a medium is something that has existed for nearly 43,000 years. While it is not nearly as ancient as drawing or sculpting, it stands alongside them as one of the oldest forms of artistic expression. Music is tightly integrated into human culture as a whole and has always had an emotional or even physical impact on people for a while, even if it was in a way that nobody could really quantify or understand. However, recent studies have found that music is much more impactful than anybody really thought possible, and speaking from personal experience, I think it’s something that everybody should at least try to utilize when it comes to bettering your thoughts and your mind.
Another Room in Your Head
How exactly can music affect you? Well to put it simply, the music we often listen to is something that shapes both our personal and cultural identities. Recent studies have highlighted the fact that music can help us in regulating and processing moods and emotions. The American Psychiatric Association has stated that, “A 2022 review and meta-analysis of music therapy found an overall beneficial effect on stress-related outcomes. Moreover, music can be used to help in addressing serious mental health and substance use disorders.” Music is a medium that can be experienced by most people in our world today, regardless of their age, gender, socioeconomic status, or even medical conditions in some cases.
One thing that came to mind for me when writing this was well, not everyone can listen to music right? People who have auditory problems or even people who are deaf can’t experience music, can they? This is a common misconception as yes, they indeed can. While they cannot inherently “listen” to music, they can feel it. People who are deaf or with an auditory impairment can feel the vibrations of music through either their bodies or through touch. There are also ASL interpretations of songs as well which if you really think about it makes a lot of sense.
Even Better Than The Real Thing
During his years as a musical composer, Beethoven gradually lost his sense of hearing and would eventually become deaf. Remarkably, he was still able to write and compose pieces of music. He did this through many creative means, one of which would be utilizing a long and narrow metallic structure. It was shaped similarly to a megaphone and one end would be placed atop the piano while the other end would be held by his teeth in the corner of his jaw. Utilizing both his extensive knowledge of music and his “inner ear” Beethoven was able to compose music until his death in 1827.
What makes music the “best” when it comes to improving your mental health and well-being? Surely there are other more effective ways to do so, as music is something that not everybody even enjoys. I do think that there are far better ways of improving your mental health, but I also think that music is one of the best for a few different reasons. Firstly because of its aforementioned trait of being something that can be experienced by anyone. Even people who cannot physically hear music can experience it. It’s a form of language that can be understood by anybody no matter what challenges they face. Not only that, it is also something that is able to transcend barriers better than a lot of other forms of art.
What A Wonderful World
Music is something that nearly all cultures on earth have experienced in some shape or form. While music with vocals in a certain language may be understandable to some, it may be completely indecipherable to other people if they don’t speak that language. But the emotions and feelings behind those words are something that is understandable regardless of what language is spoken. Opera has historical roots in Italy, but there are hundreds of songs or accompaniments that can bring the emotions or tears out of a person from any nation. There doesn’t even have to be any words spoken in a song for it to be impactful as well. Orchestral or instrumental music, I feel, is often much more moving then music that involves singing. Accessibility is something that has also been brought about thanks to the advent of technology and the internet. You can use your phone or computer to listen to literally any song or piece of music that has ever been created.
And it’s this interconnectivity brought about by music that I think is another reason why it is one of the best ways to improve mental health. You can find companionship and make friends with other people who have similar tastes in music. Oftentimes they can also introduce you to new genres of music you never would have discovered. I know that a few genres of music I listen to are because of some of some of my friends and family members. The GLAC has stated that, “ Researchers think one of the most important functions of music is to create a feeling of cohesion or social connectedness. Music remains a powerful way of uniting people.”
Give Life Back to Music
Ultimately, the biggest reason that I think music is the best way to improve your mental health is because of its malleability as both a form of expression, art, and understanding. You, with the utilization of technology and digital libraries, have direct control over the kinds of music you can and cannot listen to. Does listening to hip-hop or rap music make you feel excited? Maybe it makes you energetic? Use that energy, either to meet new people, maybe travel somewhere or even exercise. Express yourself. There are bound to be people somewhere who share your tastes, likes, and dislikes. But one thing you should always keep in mind is to be honest with yourself. Listen to what makes you feel happy and not what's trending or popular, either among your friends or in the social zeitgeist. Maybe you want to write or play your own music. Go for it! Let your thoughts and feelings be heard by the wider world, even if you only have a few people as your audience. Embrace your musical identity and always keep an open mind for new genres or artists. Change is inevitable but music is forever.
Sources Used:
https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/power-of-music-in-mental-well-being
https://www.eglendalelac.org/wellness-wednesday/improving-mental-health-through-music
Headers are all names of their respective songs
Hi Owen, I really like this culmination of ideas. Accessibility being a foundational part of music is not something I have considered before, as well as the many ways we have used music as a form of expression. The best thing about music is that it's such a personal experience, like you said, you can take what you want from it and leave the rest. Music is community and music is passion! Thanks for your take on this.
Hey Owen,
This was a compelling post! As someone who’s constantly listening to music, I found your perspective both thoughtful and refreshing. I especially appreciated the part about how deaf individuals can still experience music through vibrations and interpretation—something I hadn’t considered before. Your passion for music comes through, and the final section was especially motivating. Made me want to queue up my favorite playlist right away!
Hi Owen! I liked your point that we have control over what we can or cannot listen to regarding music. In the past when I was in a mentally worse place, I would listen to very sad and depressing music which made my mood worse. Now, in my more recovered state, I refuse to listen to many of these songs, as I know the impact that they can have on out mental health. Thank you for including your sources at the bottom!
Hey Owen!
This is a great post! I am an avid music listener so your critique was especially interesting to me. I especially enjoyed when you talked about how people with auditory problems can still listen to music. I had never really thought about that, so I am glad to know that they can still experience music. I also enjoyed your emphasis on music as an expression of art and understanding. I love music for its ability to transcend language and time. I also liked your last section, it felt empowering and made me want to put my headphones in an listen!
This is amazing, Owen! I think we truly underestimate the power that music has in our lives and the way it can sway our moods and emotions. I also really like the conclusion that you give the readers to pursue and consider their choices with music. It's really cool how you debunk the myth of music not being for people with auditory issues. I do believe that frequencies, lyrics, and little things like that are more affective than we realize on impacting our mental health and the way we work. This is a great topic and you expanded on it beautifully. Well done!