Music Can Change the Way We Feel

Winter blues got you down? Feeling sad and lonely? Feeling churned up and anxious? Dreading some obnoxious chore? Having a hard time getting your body in gear and moving? Try a little music.

Scientist have found that music has a powerful impact on human emotions and behavior. Movies and television use background music to synch our emotions to key plot points. Stores use music to encourage us to stay and shop longer. Sports arenas use music to rouse the crowd to cheer for the home team. Businesses use music to placate customers when they put them on hold. Your workplace may even use music to encourage a productive work environment. If we use language to communicate information and ideas, then we use music to communicate emotion.

Our response to music can change the way we feel. Music can pump us up, calm us down, energize us, relax us, wash us with sadness or put us in the mood for romance. If you're feeling blue, turn on some tunes and get happy!