Five Ways Music Settles Your Nerves, Calms Your Emotions and Builds Your Emotional Intelligence
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This morning I felt fatigued, worn out.
Truth is, I had so much fun with grandchildren last week that returning to work this week left me totally exhausted!
So I sat on my porch talking to God about how tired and kind of down I felt in light of everything I had to do. Then, I began to sing the song “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord” from Psalm 66:1 and 98:4.
After a few times through I felt a smile lighting up my face and energy welling inside me.
Science tells us that music has the power to help us regulate our emotions. Music can help soothe an aching soul or help us recall powerful feelings of love and joy attached to memories. Of course, Scripture already told us that!
Maybe that’s why Nehemiah reminded the people (Ne 8:10) that the joy of the Lord is their strength. (A verse also used as a great scripture song.)
Here are five ways both science and scripture teach us to soothe our troubled, agitated emotions using music.[i]
Dance. The psalms urge worshippers to dance! Our heart rate speeds up or slows down to match the music we enjoy. Lots of exercise groups move to rhythmic tunes. It makes movement less strenuous.
You don’t have to be Fred Astaire, Michael Jackson, or Beyonce to enjoy the pleasure of moving in sync with the music or a dance partner. Dancing can be good for body and soul. Hey, you don’t have to swirl around a ballroom! Alone in your house works, too.
Catharsis. Music can produce a safe outlet for negative emotions. How many of David’s Psalms begin with negative thoughts and moods? Why are you cast down, O my soul? It’s a common experience, for example, to feel sad when we hear a sad song. Music provides a harmless way to shed some sadness (or other negative emotion) and feel better.
Our Song. Psychologists use the term “evaluative conditioning” to describe a transfer of the feelings associated with past events to something else, including music. For example, couples may identify “our song” – a song they associate with the happiest days of their courtship. Listening to your favorite songs can bring up happy feelings.
Emotional contagion. You may already know about “emotional contagion”. If not the term, you certainly know the experience. Other people’s emotions can pump us up or bring us down! Emotional contagion applies to music, too. Use that power wisely when selecting the songs to which you listen!
Memorize Scripture. I don’t know of science proving there’s psychological benefit from learning scripture but there is definitely science demonstrating that lyrics can shift thought patterns and alter moods. For sure the Bible commands us to sing psalms and spiritual songs! So use those wonderful little scripture songs to put positive, scriptural thoughts inside your head and heart.
The music you allow in your life – and make in your heart – exerts more influence over your emotions than you may realize.
Music itself (and musical training, too) can make you more emotionally intelligent. Used wisely, it can draw you closer to God and as the old poem goes, “soothe the savage beast” – including the ones in your heart.
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[i] You can find citations of the science-related information in this blog post at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-choice/201909/7-effective-ways-regulate-emotion-music
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