Music is a very important part of many people’s everyday lives. People use it in many ways, such as: to express themselves, escape reality, help focus, calm themselves, etc. Music may seem like a simplistic task but there is a deeper meaning behind it. Music even has some helpful benefits. The popular uses of music are for escaping reality, helping with focus, and the benefit it has on a human’s heart.
Escaping Reality
Music is able to help with lots of things and one of those things is escaping reality. After talking to Freshman Olivia Allen, she says, “I mostly use music to distract myself, it helps me from overthinking and keeps my mind off of negative things. From the distraction, I am put into a better mood.” To dig a little deeper, music is a good source of entertainment. Just a couple of songs can get someone in a better mood. From another perspective, a sophomore, Bella Esparza, explains how the type of music is a very important aspect. “Certain genres of music help me escape my thoughts, while others just influence it.” This goes back to how interesting music really is. The genre has a very important part when it comes to escaping reality. Everyone is different, but it still is able to change someone’s mood. In the article, How Different Genres of Music Affect Your Mood, it states, “… it seems logical to conclude that listening to happy music will improve happiness if you have that intent” (Revelle Team). This reveals that music and the genre have a huge impact on a person’s mood and/or emotions.
Focus
Music can also help people focus on many different things such as schoolwork, reading, chores, etc. It definitely varies from person to person, but it can be used for a variety of things. Freshman athlete, Christina Dudea explains, “I love to listen to music while practicing individually and while I do my homework.” She also expresses that music really helps her get into the zone; and focus herself. A West Ranch student claims “Music is the main reason I am able to focus since I have a lot of noise in my house.” This goes back to the point that music is able to help people focus, whether it’s to distract you or to get you in the zone. The genre has a great impact on someone’s ability to focus. After hearing from Entrepreneur, it says classical music is the best genre to listen to when it comes to focusing. “The absence of words in the music may be one factor, as songs that contain lyrics have been found to be a distraction when you’re trying to focus” ( DEEP PATEL). This shows that certain music can truly help with focusing on many different things.
Health Benefits
Music can benefit a human’s heart in many ways. NorthShore University says, “ It can… reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, decrease cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and increase serotonin and endorphin levels in the blood.” “In simpler terms, music can be a stress reliever and aid in mental health. Music is able to relax the mind which also relaxes your heart. This is a great benefit and all you’re doing is listening to songs that we enjoy!
The use of music is endless, these are only a couple out of all of them! Music’s power to help is truly magical. It’s not just sound, but it is also emotion, culture, and connection. Music can help benefit anyone, no matter what type of music, genre, etc.
