Studies have demonstrated that those experiencing depression tend to prefer music that features sad lyrics. But why?
One explanation could be that sad music helps combat the negative thinking associated with depression – an effect known as rumination.
Recent research published in Emotion conducted a repeat experiment which found depressed people tend to prefer melancholy songs; however, participants did not choose sad tunes in order to maintain their low mood.
It Can Help You Feel Better
Sad music has the power to help us feel better by engaging a part of the brain that deals with nostalgia, peace and tenderness. Additionally, it stimulates a release of prolactin hormone which has calming and consoling properties; these effects could prove essential in alleviating depression symptoms which often include feelings of numbness.
Music that induces tears can bring back nostalgic memories from our past and engender feelings of empathy for those experiencing similar experiences, two key reasons why many enjoy sad songs and films.
According to a study published in Emotion journal, music causes various neural networks throughout our brains to start firing and reacting at once, making it one of the only forms of media capable of simultaneously tapping into all our emotional states at once. Sad music in particular can stir up such strong reactions within us that many find its soothing qualities especially comforting when experiencing difficult times in their lives.
Researchers asked 800 participants to name the feelings triggered by listening to specific compositions of music usually perceived as slow or melancholic in pace. They discovered that nostalgia, peacefulness and tenderness were frequently reported feelings when listening to such tracks. When compared with another survey that asked people to rate how happy music made them feel, no correlation existed between happiness and feelings of consolation or empathy, yet was consistent with previous studies on pleasure in sad music.
If you are suffering from any kind of mental health condition, seeking professional support is always recommended. But if your mood drops significantly or any symptoms of depression present themselves, listening to sad music could help improve your emotional state and ease a difficult time in your life. For more serious cases however, seeking treatment through a psychiatrist or doctor would likely be most appropriate.
It Can Help You Distract From Your Current Situation
Music with dark, melancholy lyrics and instrumentals can provide an effective means of diversion from negative emotions you’re experiencing. Listening to a marathon of these sad tunes may help take your mind off any problems or stresses, and give some respite. But do take caution not to rely on this alone as an ultimate solution as issues will still remain at play in the end; should you find yourself becoming overwhelmed with sadness it would be wiser to consult a mental health specialist for support.
Researchers have discovered that when people enjoy art or music, it often elicits emotions different than the negative emotions they’re currently feeling. According to philosopher and psychologist Jerrold Levinson, one reason people enjoy sad music may be its ability to elicit nostalgia, peacefulness and wonder feelings – perfect stimulation for anyone open to experiencing life!
Sad music also stimulates the release of prolactin, a hormone known to produce feelings of tranquility and calm. Prolactin is released as a reaction to grieving and mourning stressors and can help reduce pain by numbing out brain pathways.
Be it a breakup song or ballad about death, sad music can bring people together by sharing our pain with each other. This connection gives the audience a sense of comfort and belonging while also giving a greater understanding of themselves as individuals through these songs which might otherwise not exist if exposed to music at that time.
Next time you need something soothing to listen to, check out PremiumBeat’s royalty free music search engine and use its filters to locate exactly the genre or mood that will satisfy you. There’s even an “Sad/Nostalgic” option! Additionally, our search engine lets you choose instruments commonly seen in sad beats such as piano, cello and violin!
It Can Help You Feel More Self-Aware
Sad music can help you understand your emotions more empathically by prompting nostalgic experiences of past events or moments that left an impactful mark in your life. Such experiences may bring up both joy and sorrow as you remember happy times past as well as mourn the ones lost.
Feeling connected can also come from listening to or performing sad songs; both composers and singers alike can sense this sense of bond with their audiences through lyrics, vocals and instrumental arrangements that create this sense of bonding.
People using sad music to cope with current circumstances tend to prefer songs with high aesthetic value – that is, they tend to choose songs which are beautiful and easy to focus on – which can help them assess whether their emotions are truly negative.
But listening to sad music as a means of escape may become addictive if the listener fails to address any underlying causes behind their low spirits and take steps to address those causes instead of simply listening repeatedly for extended periods. This is particularly true if someone listens repeatedly or for extended periods to sad music as an escape mechanism.
One participant of a study reported listening to too much sad music; listening for too long could cause them to lose track of reality and focus on other matters instead of themselves. Another noted her concern about her addiction to sad songs, hoping her family could help her break free of them.
If you are experiencing depression, listening to sad music can be an effective way to temporarily escape negative thoughts and emotions. But if your symptoms continue to worsen, it would be wise to consult your physician as they may offer various coping mechanisms or suggest professional psychological or counseling services as solutions.
It Can Help You Feel More Comfortable
Listening to sad music can give us the sense of not being alone in our feelings of depression or loss. Music often elicits strong emotional reactions that help us connect to others experiencing similar pain. Additionally, slow rhythms of sad songs may allow you to focus your thoughts more easily, providing an opportunity to work through some of what may be causing it.
Sad music may help ease feelings, but it should never serve as an escape route from them. Instead, try confronting your feelings head on and accepting them even if that feels difficult. Additionally, find ways of managing them such as practicing mindfulness or physical exercise or spending time with loved ones.
Listening to upbeat songs when feeling down can help to lift your mood and change your perspective on things, though be wary that too much upbeat music could worsen depression symptoms if used excessively; therefore it should only be utilized if your depression becomes worsening.
If you’re feeling down, it can be challenging to leave bed and do the activities of everyday life. Thankfully, there are ways you can use music to boost your spirits; listening to upbeat tunes may help. But if listening to happy tunes becomes an everyday routine instead of helping alleviate distressing thoughts and emotions – professional help may be required.
Studies from the University of South Florida have recently demonstrated that those suffering from depression often seek comfort in sad stimuli such as music. Researchers surveyed 772 individuals to ascertain which genres they preferred and why, discovering that most found pleasure listening to sad music while others found comfort from it – producing nostalgia, peace and even wonderment in response.
Participants were asked to select 30-second excerpts of either sad, happy, or neutral music and select their preference from among those excerpts. The study replicated an earlier research finding that depressed people tend to prefer sad music over happy tunes; its authors speculate that this preference likely results from an emotional need for connection – whether with the song itself, its singer/composer/characters in its musical narrative, or with others who share this love of listening and appreciating this type of music; whatever form it takes it can be very pleasurable indeed!