Music is good for your brain

Destressing is easier than you think.

School starting, busy schedules, juggling sports and squeezing in your homework; if you are like most high school students, you are feeling the stress. But luckily for swamped students, the solution to stress is as simple as turning on your favorite song.  

According to a study published by the US National Library Of Medicine, “listening to self-select or classical music, after exposure to a stressor, significantly reduces negative emotional states and physiological arousal…”

The response to music is more than just excitement over hearing a great song, it is a change in brain chemistry.  It stops the brain from producing cortisol, the hormone that makes your heart race when you are nervous.

And that is not the only benefit.  

According to a 2013 study published in Science magazine,  “…music is associated with immunoglobulin A, an antibody linked to immunity, as well as higher counts of cells that fight germs and bacteria.”

Music has the potential to make us both happier and healthier.  

For any music lovers who wonder why they have not experienced this “miracle cure” before, there is another factor.  

“Relaxation is stated as the reason for music listening,” the previous poll stated.

Your mindset makes a difference. Its best to put aside five minutes to actively unwind while listening to your favorite song.  

But science is not the only thing backing this theory. Teens already use music to help them cope with the workload.

“With all my honors and AP classes this year, it’s nice to have a block to just ease my mind,” said junior Asha Egmont of her band block, “It makes the day go by faster… it helps me relax and find the right head space to do work… it helps my mental health and keeps me upbeat.”  

Music teacher Daniel Fleury agrees that music is a healthy influence “Music classes are a release from the day. Chorus and band are doing what they enjoy.  Its a 45 minute distraction from the world outside.”