Breaking Bad (Stigmas): Music is the Key to Happiness

Everybody loves music. There is a huge variety of music genres in the world and personally, I’ve yet to meet someone who says they hate all music. Have you ever wondered why your mood tends to improve when you’re listening to your favorite band or composer? That would be thanks to the chemical dopamine.

Dopamine, often referred to as the “happy chemical”, is a neurotransmitter that is connected to the reward system of the brain. It is released in the striatum of the brain. Dopamine is released in response to naturally rewarding stimuli such as food, intimacy, and exercise. It can also be released as a result of artificial stimuli, such as the drugs cocaine and amphetamine. Studies have shown that this same chemical tends to be released when listening to and playing music as well. Dopamine is released during the peak emotional moment of a song also in the seconds leading up to it, during the anticipation phase. Numerous scientific studies have been done that show a strong correlation between music and happiness.

In a study from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, researchers used positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques to scan the brains of the study’s participants as they listened to music. The researchers found that when the test subjects were listening to music they enjoyed, their levels of dopamine transmission were up to 9% higher than when not listening to music. It was also found that when the volunteers experienced a “chill” at the peak moments of songs, they were feeling maximum pleasure; the most amounts of dopamine were being transmitted at these times.

An Australian study used data from the annual Australian Unity Wellbeing Index survey to look at the correlation between music and happiness. They found that Australian citizens who either listened to music, sang, played an instrument, composed music or attended music-oriented events had higher levels of happiness than those who did none of the previously listed activities. This study also found that those who physically attended live music events rather than just listening to music on the radio had higher happiness levels.

There is also some evidence that music, especially music with a slower tempo and of the classical genre, has the ability to help reduce stress and anxiety. This in turn boosts your happiness levels as well. A study was done where patients who were about to undergo surgery either took anti-anxiety medicine or listened to music. Their anxiety ratings and cortisol levels (also known as the stress hormone) were tracked. It was found that the patients who listened to music had lower cortisol levels and less anxiety than those who took the anti-anxiety drugs.