Music has always been a huge part of my life.
Over the past two decades, I’ve invested thousands of hours on the piano committing songs to memory.
As a developer, I spend 10 hours a day listening to all sorts of genres from hip-hop to classical piano, progressive house to orchestral, and left-field bass to headbanging dubstep.
I even produce some of my own electronic music from time to time (shameless self plug).
And like many others, live music is one of my absolute favorite things on this planet. There’s something about experiencing music live that seems to reset your neurochemical balance and connect you with everyone around you.
Music is a truly beautiful phenomenon that is so much more than just an object of pop culture or a background for trending TikToks.
It’s intimately tied to our nature as humans; another dimension to this strange thing we call life.
I could go on and on about music as a form of art. But today I want to focus on the ways that music can transform our day-to-day.
Because in a world where music is often just a background to viral TikToks and nights out, it’s easy to forget how it can really impact us.
It’s a wonderful tool that we can leverage to be more productive, be more in tune with our emotions, connect with other humans, and ultimately live happier, more fulfilling lives.
So without further ado, here are 4 incredibly powerful ways music can level up our lives.
Where words fail, music speaks.
- Hans Christian Anderson
Reduce Stress
We all encounter stress day to day. It’s part of growing as a person and reaching our goals.
But not all stress is good stress, and sometimes we can push ourselves past our healthy threshold for growth. This is where music can be magical.
Science shows that music positively affects both physiological and psychological stress outcomes.
So not only can music literally decrease your blood pressure and positively alter your hormones, but it can also decrease anxiety, restlessness, and nervousness.
Next time you have an important meeting or deadline, throw those headphones on.
Cognitive Enhancement
You’ve probably heard about the Mozart Effect at some point.
But when it comes to music and our brains, what’s talked about less is music’s ability to get us into a flow state and make us more productive day to day.
I code—*a lot.*** **And if I’m coding, I’m listening to music.
Science shows that music can improve our cognitive functioning, especially when it comes to memory, creativity, and problem-solving.
It does this by changing our physiological state, specifically our arousal and mood. When we listen to music our body and brain undergo chemical changes that literally prime us to do better work (depending on what the work is, of course).
The best part about this is that it’s a light switch that we can leverage any time we want, whether we’re avid music listeners or not.
Physical Performance
Ever thought about why we listen to music when we work out?
The high-level answer is that it gets our brain and body in “the zone.”
The scientific answer is, well…it’s complicated.
What we do know is that it makes us more physiologically and psychologically resilient, puts our motor system on autopilot, and can even make us more efficient at using Oxygen (🤯).
The other obvious factor is that music positively affects our mood, which can have a drastic effect on our workouts.
One of my favorite aspects of the relationship between music and physical performance: you should listen to what you like.
A wildly interesting study concluded that the positive effects of music on your physiological and psychological state are amplified according to how much you actually like the music.
There is some evidence that certain types of music can affect your perceived levels of motivation, however.
A lot of studies here, and I know not all of you are nerds like I am.
The takeaway of all of this is that there’s no need to meticulously craft your workout playlist. Just play your favorite upbeat tunes and get off the damn couch.
Social Connection
It’s probably not surprising that science strongly supports the fact that music brings us closer together.
The way in which this works is absolutely fascinating.
It’s long been known that humans’ brain waves synchronize when we interact, and the effect can be stronger depending on the degree of our physical and emotional connection.
This synchronization used to be conisdered simply a byproduct of existing connections. But science actually shows that it works the other way around.
When we attend live music shows with other people, our brain waves naturally synchronize with each other. When we’re physiologically in sync like this, we become primed for connection with each other.
No wonder it’s so easy to connect with people who share the same passion for music as you.
Some of my strongest bonds with people are rooted in music, and after reading this literature, it’s no wonder.
If you ever feel like you’re lacking human connection, music can be a wonderful place to turn.
Takeaways
Music makes us happier, increases our cognitive performance, boosts our workouts, and allows us to connect with more people more deeply.
Try listening to different types of music when you work. Find what gets you into flow.
Blast some upbeat tunes when you work out.
Start going to more concerts.
Find people that share your love for your favorite artists and genres.
Foster a community of like-minded music lovers.
Start living a better life, through music.
This was originally published on my weekly newsletter Circadian Growth