Music is a coping mechanism, yet often goes underutilized

BESKE’S BUZZ

KATE BESKE

@KateBeske

Most people can confidently say they have felt stressed at some point in their life. For some, it may be caused by tests and school. For others, it may be the pressures they put on themselves that cause this stress.

Stress is often described as having “changes affecting nearly every system of the body, influencing how people feel and behave,” according to the American Psychological Association. Music can play a large role in helping to reduce stress, and can potentially mitigate the effects of stress.

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Many people know how to utilize coping mechanisms to help manage or deal with the stress they face. Common coping mechanisms are breathing exercises, meditation and journaling. These exercises are commonly promoted in therapy or online articles about stress.

Music is an underutilized coping mechanism.

A coping mechanism is defined as “any conscious or nonconscious adjustment or adaptation that decreases tension and anxiety in a stressful experience or situation” by the APA.

Using sound to heal dates back to ancient Greece, according to Healthline. Using music as a coping mechanism should not be confused with music therapy, which includes patient and prac- titioner listening or performing music together.

There are numerous types of music therapy, including but not limited to guided meditation and neurological music therapy, according to Healthline.

Using music as a coping mechanism differs from this as it’s something easily accessible and able to be done independently without professional help.

There have been many studies showing the effects that listening to music has on the body. A common observation between all studies was that listening to music lowers cortisol levels, according to a 2021 study from the University of Helsinki.

Cortisol can be beneficial in the short term, helping with focus and energy, but long term, high levels of cortisol can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, according to Psych Central.

By listening to music and keeping your cortisol levels lower, you can avoid stress and the effects of chronic or long-term stress.

“Recent neuroimaging studies on music and emotion showed that music may strongly influence the amygdala, a part of the limbic system, which is a section of the brain that plays a crucial role in the regulation of emotional processes by releasing endorphins,” according to a 2018 study for Health Psychology Review

With all of this data showing how music helps to alleviate stress and its physical symptoms, music should be more widely considered and advocated as a coping mechanism.

Coping mechanisms are an important tool for anyone that regularly faces stress. It’s important to be able to deal with and regulate your emotions in a healthy way.

Music is a great coping mechanism as it soothes the mind and body. Lowering heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels show how much impact music has on the body.

So, the next time you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, put on your favorite song, it might help you more than you think.

Kate Beske is a 19-year-old journalism sophomore from Destrehan.

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