Three-Minute Pause: Music and Your Mood

Reset your Mind: It isn’t hard to believe that music can affect our emotions in different ways. Happy, upbeat music causes our brains to produce chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, which evokes feelings of joy and pleasure. Whereas loud, chaotic beats can increase our energy level, provoke anxiety and stress. Studies have found that people who listen to upbeat music on a regular basis can actually improve their moods and boost their happiness in just two weeks. In many settings such as hospitals and nursing homes, music therapy programs are used to achieve goals such as managing stress, enhancing memory, and alleviating pain.

Let’s Begin!

This week, we are going to put this to the test. For the next 3 minutes, you are going to listen to an “upbeat” song of your choice. As you listen to this music, try doing the breathing exercise you learned in Week 3. Together, you might just find you are more relaxed and able to concentrate better once the song is over. I encourage you to try this for the next week and report back on this in your final journal entry.

Assignment Instructions

After completing this exercise, document the following and submit your reflections in 1-2 paragraphs in the box below.

Step 1: Take notice & describe the experience.

Step 2: Analyze the experience based on the following question:

• What type of music gives you energy? What kind of music helps you feel calm? Describe your reaction after this exercise today-were you calm or energized?

Step 3: Reflect on what you learned and how you could use this learning.