Hospital Radio: How music can improve your mental health

A few weeks ago, it was Mental Health Awareness Week.

Here at Torbay Hospital Radio, one of our primary goals is to support patient and staff mental health with music and entertainment. You may be asking, How does music help mental health? Well, it has been proven that music can significantly benefit mental health in various ways, supported by both scientific research and real-life experiences.

Here’s how:

1. Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Listening to calming music can lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone), slow heart rate, and promote relaxation. Music therapy is often used to treat anxiety disorders, helping people regulate emotions and cope with tension. Music taps into a primal sense of rhythm that we all possess. Modern music therapy began just after World War II, when musicians, primarily in the USA at first, visited hospitals to perform for recovering soldiers. They seemed to improve physically and emotionally, eventually prompting the institutions to hire professionals for the job.

2. Improves Mood

Music can trigger the release of dopamine; a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. Upbeat or familiar songs can enhance feelings of happiness and motivation, especially in people with depression. Its progress in the UK is supported by BAMT, the British Association for Music Therapy; although it doesn’t currently cover Torbay, it is a growing organisation and hopefully will stretch this far soon.

3. Boosts Emotional Expression

Music helps individuals express emotions that might be difficult to articulate with words. Writing, performing, or listening to music can be a healthy outlet for processing grief, anger, sadness, or joy. Here’s an example for joy or to promote energy: you could try upbeat tracks like Happy by Pharrell Williams or Can't Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake. Or for relaxing and calmness, maybe a classical piece like Debussy’s Clair de Lune would do the trick.

4. Supports Social Connection

Shared musical experiences (concerts, choirs, jamming sessions) foster a sense of belonging and reduce feelings of isolation. Music can be a tool for building empathy and understanding between people. There are no shortages of concert venues around the Bay highlighting a wide variety of different genres. If you fancy singing yourself, just search ‘choirs Torbay’ on your computer and you will have a good starting point.

5. Improves Sleep

Relaxing music before bed can improve sleep quality by reducing intrusive thoughts and promoting a calm mental state. I wouldn’t recommend heavy metal, but a gentle set of ballads or The Carpenters might just do the trick.

6. Enhances Cognitive Function

Music can improve memory, attention, and concentration, which benefits people experiencing mental fog from depression or anxiety. In dementia care, music often helps patients reconnect with memories and reduce agitation. A recent survey by Harvard suggests that active musical engagement, including those over age 50, was associated with higher rates of happiness and good cognitive function. Also, adults who currently engage in some music appreciation show above-average mental well-being scores.

7. Encourages Mindfulness

MIND, the mental health charity, describes mindfulness as a technique you can learn which involves noticing what's happening in the present moment; basically, that is fully engaging with what’s happening right now, without distractions. Listening closely to music encourages mindfulness and meditation techniques. It’s easier said than done, of course. Our minds love to wander. But practising mindfulness, or simply pausing to take in the world around you, can help cultivate a sense of calm and clarity.

Good mental health doesn't mean that you always feel happy or that you never have bad moods or bad days. So, if your spirits need a lift, why not tune in to us? We broadcast 24/7; just ask your smart speaker to play Torbay Hospital Radio or listen live at our website. Tune into a wide range of music, chat and entertainment to distract you from your woes and pain. Why not send requests and rejoice hearing your favourite songs?