How Music Effects Us

By Wes T. & William T.
Published May 3, 2024

Living in the “Live Music Capital of the World”, you may think of a concert you’ve been to when thinking about music. Maybe when you think about music you think of searching up a favorite song on Spotify. You might even think about playing your favorite song on a guitar or piano, or even learning “Hot Cross Buns” on the recorder in 3rd grade. When you listen to music do you feel alert, happy, or sad? Music can affect your mood or even your health when you listen or play it.

 If you listen to music more your mood will change, right? Your mood will change to happy or sad depending on the music genre you listen or play to. If you listen to sad music you may be sad, or if you listen to happy music you may be happy. This happens because of the limbic system. According to a 2023 article published in Brain Sciences, “The limbic system is Central to our emotional resonance and the limbic system is an intricate assembly of neural circuits and pathways”. Listening to music can stimulate your limbic system, causing you to feel differently depending on the type of music.

               If the limbic system is responsible for your mood and sight, why does music affect it? This is because music affects other parts of your brain too. In fact, when you play music it unlocks every part of your brain. This causes your brain to shape in different ways especially in your hippocampus, which might prevent Alzheimer's disease. When this happens it's called neurogenesis.  When this type of music causes neurogenesis it improves memory  and allows you to see things around you in many different ways. Dr. Yonetani, a world-renowned violinist and professor at UCF says that “ Everyone should learn to play an instrument or at least have access to music in their life” 

               Listening and playing music is better for your mental health and everyone should have the right to listen and play music. Overall, involving yourself in music can lead to many health benefits and personal enjoyment.