How Does Music Affect Your Mood

It’s common knowledge that music can affect your mood. Watch a sad commercial or movie and have to reach for the kleenex? Now try the same with the volume muted. Not quite as bad? It might just be because the musical score didn’t evoke the same emotional response.

Listening to music, or singing along, can release those feel-good chemicals like oxytocin and dopamine in the brain. It’s how music affects us. Why a baby is soothed when mom sings a lullaby, why the toddler starts bouncing to the rhythm of “Baby Shark” (do do duh do duh do…sorry if that’s stuck in your head now), and why you catch yourself belting out that pop sing on the radio at the top of your lungs in the car while waiting at the traffic light. With all the other drivers staring at you. Not that I know this from experience or anything…

Boost Your Memory With Music

Music also plays a role in communication and memory. Just look at studies with autistic children, who can finally break through communication boundaries using music, or seniors with Alzheimer’s who can recall all kinds of memories when a favourite old song is played. Studying for tests or learning new materials can be enhanced by listening to music.

The opposite can also happen depending on what you listen to. Loud, screaming lyrics might be great when you’re angry and just want to get all your rage out, but probably not the best when you’re trying to meditate. Soft, soothing classical might put you to sleep when you’re really trying to focus and get some work done. Getting over a break-up probably isn’t the best time to listen to sad songs (although there is a time for that).

Music Playlists To Improve Your Mood

Can music change your mood? Absolutely! Putting together playlists of your favourite songs, for specific moods or tasks, is a great way to improve your mood, and get things done! While back in the day we might have made a mix tape (I’m dating myself here, aren’t I?), now we have streaming services like Apple Music, or my favourite, Spotify.

With Spotify, you can create your own playlists, drag and drop the order of songs, add or delete, and make them public if you want to share. Got an artist you love, but only like half an album? Love all the songs they play in a tv series (hello GOT and Sense8…)? You can create your own playlists of the exact songs you want!

And you can go nuts creating playlists for everything…road trips, cleaning the kitchen, dance parties in the living room, mellow journalling, embracing your inner bad-ass woman (that one is my favourite lately).

Little Pockets Of Bliss Music Playlists

I’ve put together some playlists for different moods, to give you an example.

Little Pockets of Bliss – Perfect Day is an upbeat collection of pop songs that will have you dancing in the living room and singing along. Great for when you need a pick me up! Play it when you’re in the shower and getting ready for the day!

Little Pockets of Bliss – Stronger was created especially for my fellow single mamas, for those times when you feel like giving up and need some inspiration to keep going. Starts off mellow, and builds up that confident, kick ass power you’ve had inside you all along.

Like these playlists and want more? Subscribe to the Little Pockets of Bliss newsletter today! You’ll get access to the Resource Library, with tools and free printables, along with new playlists as they get added!

Music influences our moods, and by changing up the music you listen to, it just might be the key to more productivity, lighter mood, and that feeling of pure bliss…at least for the next 226 seconds. So go ahead, belt it out! Even if your singing voice is lacking, it’s still so good for your soul!

How does music affect your mood? Got favourite songs or playlists you have for specific feelings, tasks or seasons? Leave a comment below and let me know!

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