Music as Medicine

Remember the magic of getting a mixtape – the feeling of knowing someone took the time to curate something special just for you?

I know I’m dating myself, but you get it; music has the ability to make us feel something deeply. So, when I started hearing about “Music Therapy Playlists” I was a little obsessed.

The gist of the concept is that you create a playlist of songs that meet criteria like:

• Remind you of a time, place, or event in your life where you felt happy

• Trigger a positive or carefree memory or feeling

• Never makes you feel sad

The idea is that you listen to the playlist at times when you need to de-stress or cope with a difficult situation. The mix of music and nostalgia gives you a chance to reset and helps you move forward with your day a little calmer.

Obviously, I created my own playlist to try it out 🎶

I thought back to times in my life when I felt carefree and silly and picked out some songs that reminded me of those times- this was actually super fun and resulted in sharing a lot of old songs with friends.

Once I had a few songs compiled, I started listening to the playlist every time I was feeling off. It didn’t fix all my problems- sigh- but I found my mood lighten up and it just felt good.

According to research, music can:

• Lower heart rate

• Lower stress

• Release feel-good chemicals in your brain

Sprinkle a little nostalgia on top and you also get the benefits of:

• Emotional well-being

• Self-awareness

• Connection

• Increased optimism

• Healthy coping in difficult times

So, the good feels I got from my silly little playlist are actually backed by research; I love that!

*Note- I did not dig into the specific effects of musical genre… so if Metallica doesn’t lower your heart rate, don’t sue me, just try something a little less metal.

The work

Ready to add a playlist to your self-care toolkit? Here is what you do:

1. Sit down, take a deep breath, and think back to a time when you remember feeling happy or carefree. Maybe it was in the backseat of the car as a kid or in your best friend’s room during a particularly fun hangout.

2. Try to think of 2-3 songs that meet the criteria above.

3. Now, open your favorite music streaming platform, i.e. Spotify, Apple Music, etc.

4. Create a playlist called Music Therapy.

5. Add your songs.

6. You can expand your playlist over time by listening to the suggested songs on your music platform- usually Spotify has great suggestions based on what I already have on my playlist, and it gives me inspiration.

7. Listen to your playlist on the way to work, after a rough day, or when you just want to lighten your mood.

It’s that simple.

Wrap up

With a little creativity, reflection, and intention, you will create a self-care tool that can be used for years to come, and that’s a win. 

In case you are curious, here are the top 5 songs from my Music Therapy Playlist, feel free to giggle:   

1. MMMBop by Hanson

2. Escapade by Janet Jackson

3. Say You’ll Be There by Spice Girls

4. The Longest Time by Billy Joel

5. No Diggity by Blackstreet

With love, Jess