Did You Know? Listening to Sad Music Can Lift Your Mood
According to a recent study, listening to sad music can help people with depression feel better.
The first part of the study, recently published in the journal Emotion, set out to replicate the findings of a 2015 study showing that people with depression prefer listening to sad music. Researchers at the University of South Florida asked 76 female students (half of whom had been diagnosed with depression) to listen to different pieces of music and found that, as in the earlier study, those with depression said they would rather listen to sad music than upbeat tracks.
The researchers then played them other instrumental pieces (both happy and sad), and once again the students with depression chose the sad pieces and said the music made them feel better and happier. Sad music seems to bring listeners a calmer, more soothing feeling – the opposite of the long-held belief that listening to sad music only makes you sadder.
Of course, the study still has plenty of limitations, such as the small number of participants, the narrow group studied and the short time frame. On top of that, no research has yet shown exactly why people with depression prefer sad music to other kinds. And that's before taking into account the difference between instrumental music and music with lyrics.
Still, the study offers some information that could be useful in related fields, such as music therapy. In the future, doctors may be able to use music to connect better with patients. A 2017 review by Burrane also found that music brings short-term benefits to patients with depression. In the long run, sad music may get more attention in healthcare.
Source: Loop Central
