Does music alter your mood?

[Jemina]

For me music can play a major role in the way I'm feeling. If I listen to sad songs it can put me in a sad mood whereas upbeat or happier songs can put me in a better mood. I noticed that when I'm feeling more depressed I seem to end up listening to depressing sounding songs, or songs with bad memories attached to them, and this can make my mood even worse. Now I try to make a conscious effort to listen to more upbeat music that might help me to be in a better mood instead if I'm not in a good mood.


Does music alter your mood?

 

[hades_leae]

Music alters my mood all the time, I have a favorite song that I listen to everyday, and this song when played changes whatever my mood in to a mood that is so calm, and relaxed. Music can do that to you. It really makes me feel good to listen to it because I can zone out which can help with anxiety. You don't have to listen to depressing sounding songs, like you said, they just don't really help. They were made for that reason.


I like to also listen to things like nature sounds, slow instrumental, instruments that really make you feel good. You just have to find a music theme that works for you.

 

[Robilas]

Music helps me a lot. I'm really passionate about music, so it really alters my mood. Listening to happy, chill songs makes me happier and gives me energy, but listening to sad songs depresses me if I'm not a in a great mood. I even have a "Feel Good" playlist filled with cheerful songs to listen when I'm feeling down.

Now I try to make a conscious effort to listen to more upbeat music that might help me to be in a better mood instead if I'm not in a good mood.

As you said, it's required a conscious effort: when I'm feeling sad I tend to choose depressing song, and it makes things worse, so I need to make an effort and go for a different kind of music. For example instrumental jazz music greatly improves my mood. Rock music is perfect when I'm already feeling energic and positive as it helps me maintaining that status.

 

[CarlosTL]

For me music can play a major role in the way I'm feeling. If I listen to sad songs it can put me in a sad mood whereas upbeat or happier songs can put me in a better mood. I noticed that when I'm feeling more depressed I seem to end up listening to depressing sounding songs, or songs with bad memories attached to them, and this can make my mood even worse. Now I try to make a conscious effort to listen to more upbeat music that might help me to be in a better mood instead if I'm not in a good mood.
Does music alter your mood?

It does but there is a limit to upbeat or happy music, it tends to make you burn out. I prefer listening to more neutral music preferably without lyrics, just to keep you company. I do also listen to happy music but really only occasionally, because I want to avoid the emotional roller-coster

 

[shcoo]

Music definitely alters my mood. I try to put on upbeat loud music with a strong, memorable beat/melody whenever I am driving or when I am home alone. This helps me avoid anxious thoughts. Confident or humorous lyrics help, too.


I also realize it can be tempting to put on sad songs when we are sad, to really amplify our misery and wallow in it. However, some people find comfort in listening to sad songs when they are sad, because they can relate to the artists' feelings and believe they are not alone in their pain. It's different for each person and you have to find what genre works best for you. It's a good idea to have playlists compiled for your different moods too!

 

[fuzyon]

Music can definitely alter my mood, it's probably the best medicine when I'm feeling sad or depressed. It doesn't matter if I listen to sad or happy songs, they always uplift my current mood no matter what. Music therapy is an actual thing that counselors use to make their patients feel better or make them take their mind off the negative stuff, I was planning on going to one session just to see if it actually works. I'm curious.

 

[Jemina]

Nature sounds and white noise are the sorts of things I use to keep myself calm when I'm home alone. It helps to give me the confidence that I'm okay and there's nothing bad in the house. Complete silence actually makes me feel a lot worse than having some kind of noise being around.


I also agree that humorous lyrics can sometimes lift my mood too but it depends on the song. Some are better than others for that. Some can just make me feel annoyed at the song.


I find that all slow music tends to make me end up in a worse mood than when I started to listen to music. Even with happy lyrics, it makes me sad. So I prefer an upbeat tempo to make me feel better on the whole.

 

[MellowCat]

Music definitely alters my mood. I am doing pretty well with depression right now, but even so, when I listen to sad music it makes me cry. Music is also attached to memory. There are songs I used to listen to at different times in my life, and when I hear them now, the emotions from years ago can come rushing back, even if I can't always remember exactly why I felt the way I did at the time.

 

[John Snort]

There are people who find sad songs to be sort of therapeutic and according to some scientists, listening to sad songs will actually make you happier. Though that could be true for most people for me it isn't. When I listen to sad songs they kind of make me feel more depressed which is why I never listening to sad songs or slow songs when I'm feeling blue and I don't listen to upbeat songs either because I find them annoying (at that time). Rather the songs I listen to are motivational songs that offer me some hope that everything will be alright.

 

[EdmondA]

I will go one step further, and say that music creates a reaction of memory, which then affects the mood. A certain song will remind me of a certain time in my life and whether that was a happy or unhappy time, it will then put me right back into that head space, at least until the song ends. it is like emotional time travel!

 

[andy21]

I was a great fan of hip hop music back when it was fresh and the lyrics followed a discipline that is unspoken in society. But now, when I want to listen to music, I find myself listening to Vivaldi, especially Four Seasons. There is something that it does to me that makes me feel free and able to let go of any bad or anxious feelings. Most people from urban societies don't know the power of classical music and thing that it's a genre instead of healing sounds that bring peace to the mind and quiets the thoughts. World music also has that feel of more love than animosity and hate. I think that the vibration that we live on is the state of mind that we can maintain. If you live in a constant state of urgency, you will never be at peace. The soothing sounds of classical music will give you that peace.

 

[justsayyes]

It does affect my mood that's why i tend to listen to upbeat songs nowadays. I used to listen to sad emo songs to make me feel better, i used to think listening to sad songs makes me feel like i'm not alone in feeling sad but it really doesn't help me in any way, it only puts me down even more, so now i have a huge collection great catchy upbeat songs. I still listen to slow emotional songs but rarely and i don't take them to heart now. Lol.