Music is said to be therapeutic, with the have the power to soothe many issues, from stress to a broken heart. Research shows the benefits of music therapy for various mental health conditions, including depression, trauma, and schizophrenia (to name a few). Music acts as a medium for processing emotions, trauma, and grief—but music can also be utilized as a regulating or calming agent for anxiety. Experts explain this in depth. 

Yvonne Uwamahoro, a mental health expert and counsellor at mHub Rwanda, explains that music therapy, which is the clinical use of music to accomplish individualised goals such as reducing stress, improving mood and self-expression, enhances a person’s overall mood and well-being. 

People who suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, addictive behaviours, can be rehabilitated by different types of music, such as; music to wake up, music to energise, happy music, music for venting frustration and nostalgic music, Uwamahoro says.

Playing uplifting songs has a great effect on the brain, stimulating it to increase feel-good hormones which boost our mood, she adds.  

Uwamahoro says that a number of people struggling psychologically have difficulty in verbal expression, which is why music assists them to express their emotions without saying anything. 

Celestin Mutuyimana, a clinical psychologist at Baho-Ubudaheranwa Clinic, Gikondo, highlights that music can play a crucial role in supporting people at all stages of life, for example, helping new-born babies develop healthy bonds with their parents, and offering vital, sensitive, and compassionate palliative care at the end of life, among others. 

He says that studies on patients diagnosed with mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia have shown a noticeable improvement in their mental health after general music and music therapy interventions.

Mutuyimana says that music therapy’s benefits include improved heart rate and motor skills, stimulation of the brain and immune system boost, as research shows. 

Uwamahoro also notes that music helps to process negative emotion. Listening to ‘angry music’ can be therapeutic when someone is dealing with stress and anger.

She adds that meditative music has a relieving effect on us, improving our mood and inducing relaxation of both the body and mind.

Uwamahoro says that research has shown that the calming sounds of piano, nature, and string-instruments are very effective in helping one to relax.

She adds that music can improve one’s memory as people learning a new language do better when they learn it while signing new words and phrases than just regular speaking.

"Music therapy is an intervention sometimes used to promote emotional health, help patients cope with stress, and boost psychological well-being. Some research even suggests that your taste in music can provide insight into different aspects of your personality,” Uwamahoro says.

Mutuyimana states that music increases the feeling of hope in people suffering from chronic physical or psychological disorders, and can induce a positive mood in patients with end-stage chronic diseases or mental disorders in the recovery phase. 

Uwamahoro further explains that research suggests that background music, or music that is played while the listener is primarily focused on another activity, can improve performance on cognitive tasks in older adults. One study found that playing more upbeat music led to improvements in processing speed, while both upbeat and downbeat music led to benefits in memory.

She highlights that music helps you eat less as it creates a more relaxed setting. Since the participants are more relaxed and comfortable, they may consume their food slower and be more aware of when they begin to feel full.

Uwamahoro states that with music, you can say goodbye to insomnia, which is a serious sleep disorder that affects people of all age groups. While there are many approaches to treating this problem, research has demonstrated that listening to relaxing classical music can be a safe, effective, yet affordable remedy.

She notes that music could make you happier and arouse your mood and can be a safe and effective treatment for a variety of disorders, including depression. 

Uwamahoro says to be aware of what can help you; that is, know what you want before you do anything, for example; you may want to play a musical instrument, sing, dance, write songs or relax and meditate—above all, understand how music affects you.