#MusicForTheMind - What Music Means To Us
Lockdown got you feeling a little blue? One sure-fire solution is to crank up the stereo – music has been found to release dopamine, the feel-good chemical in your brain that elevates mood and increases happiness.
While music can be found everywhere, there aren’t currently many places where we can find it outside of our homes – which got us thinking more about the general link between music and mental health.
We asked our team what music means to them...
Andy, Partnerships
Music is one of the biggest elements in my life that has a profound impact on my mental health in many different ways.
It has the power to influence my mood or channel the emotions I’m feeling at that moment in time – whether it’s a metal-fuelled playlist to release stress and frustration, a dream-infused collection of electronic and synth sounds to wind down to, or neon-laced bubbly pop to lift my spirits as high as the clouds.
It brings my memories to life – good and bad – by adding an emotive layer to them. Think perfect summer holidays, breakups, nights out and feeling a little lost in the world (to name a few). And conversely it triggers memories that I may not otherwise have held on to.
It helps to keep my anxiety under control. At those times when things can get a little overwhelming, my first point of action is usually to grab a pair of headphones, plug in and zone out. And while I can get freaked out by huge crowds at a gig, focusing purely on the artist and the music I’m there to see live helps to calm the nerves.
Songs that mean something to me:
Alone Again - The Weeknd
Happy Up Here - Röyksopp
The Mother We Share - CHVRCHES
Zoe, Social Media
Music has helped my mental health as it helps to express how I’m feeling – I often find that an artist’s lyrics are better at describing how I’m feeling, then I can myself. Whether you’re feeling happy, sad, excited, tired or angry – there’s always a song to fit your mood.
Someone you’ve never met or spoken to knows exactly what you’re going through. There’s a certain comfort in knowing you’re not alone, other people around the world are going through the same thing.
One of my favourite things about music is getting to experience it live. Nothing beats seeing your favourite artist performing a song that you’ve connected with – it brings a new level and depth to the music that you can’t experience anywhere else.
Songs that mean something to me:
In Your Atmosphere - John Mayer
River - Leon Bridges
Adore You - Jessie Ware
Lisa, Sales Manager
Music means so many things to so many people, but for me it’s about expression and experiences. I have the world’s worst memory, but when a song comes on that has a trigger point for me, I’m taken right back to where I was at that time and I get to relive those moments all over again - for better, or for worse!
But there’s nothing quite like the atmosphere of a live music event - whether that’s with ten people, or one hundred thousand people. Music is so interpretive to the individual, that you can take from it whatever it means to you, but still enjoy a shared experience with others.
Whether I’m relaxing, heading out for a run, working, or out with friends, music is the background to most of my daily activities and depending on what I’m listening to, it can really impact how I feel and how productive I might be (or not!). It’s a motivator, a comforter, (an occasional) therapist and an essential part of my mental health toolkit. I’d be lost without it.
Songs that mean something to me:
Toxic - Britney Spears
Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers
Lose Yourself - Eminem
Here’s the playlist, featuring the songs that means something to us:
Now we’re asking you to submit your #MusicForTheMind song picks, along with a quick explanation of what those songs mean to you – please let us know here.
In a few weeks, we’ll be curating a playlist from all of your submissions and featuring some of the stories behind those songs, via our blog.
