Cultural engagement with music and art can decrease anxiety, improve mood, and enhance overall well-being.
Art and health broad strokes
Anecdotally, the notion that music or art provide health benefits would likely be met with minimal skepticism today. But what are those benefits and how can we know?
Studies have demonstrated the benefits of music, including improved heart rate, motor skills, brain stimulation, and immune system enhancement (Rebecchini, 2021). Additionally, arts and cultural engagement benefits a wider population by reducing the incidence of depression (Elsden & Roe, 2021).
Awe shifts the brain networks that are activated, specifically stimulating the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which plays a key role in emotional regulation and cognitive function.
An active ACC can lead us to a sense of calm and wonder, a higher sense of meaning, and lower stress and inflammation levels.
According to research, listening to music can sometimes be more effective at reducing anxiety than certain anti-anxiety medications, with some studies suggesting it may even be comparable to sedatives in lowering anxiety levels; this is attributed to the neurochemical effects of music on the brain, potentially triggering the release of dopamine and opioids which can promote relaxation.
Fun FACT
Music has been explored as a therapeutic tool since as early as the early 1800s.
Immersive and projection experiences support mental health by providing a controlled, sensory-rich environment that can help reduce stress, anxiety and negative emotions, and promote relaxation.
Virtual Reality interventions utilizing creative content have promoted a reduction in general stress and an increase in well-being, particularly for students and young adults.
A Timeline
The development of art and music for curative purposes
- A long, long time ago
- Early 1800s
- 1914
- Post-World War II
- 2024
Inspiring Literature
Here are a few of our favorite art/music + science + brain books
Awe by Dacher Keltner
This book reveals new research alongside an examination of awe across history, culture, and within his own life, Keltner shows us how cultivating awe in our everyday lives leads us to appreciate what is most humane in our human nature
Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's famous investigations of "optimal experience" have revealed that what makes an experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called flow. During flow, people typically experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and a total involvement with life.
Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks
Oliver Sacks examines the powers of music through the individual experiences of patients, musicians and everyday people those struck by affliction, unusual talent and even, in one case, by lightning to show not only that music occupies more areas of our brain than language does, but also that it can torment, calm, organize and heal.
Neurosculpting by Lisa Wimberger
The synthesis of meditation and modern neuroscience has sparked a revolution―more than ever, we can use specific practices to create positive, lasting changes in our brains. Neurosculpting Founder Lisa Wimberger healed herself by engaging the mind-body connection, disarming stress triggers, healing trauma, rewriting limiting beliefs, and liberating herself from unhealthy habits. Now she's teaching the world to do the same.
Resources
Frost, S., Kannis-Dymand, L., Schaffer, V., Millear, P., Allen, A., Stallman, H., Mason, J., Wood, A., & Atkinson-Nolte, J. "Virtual immersion in nature and psychological well-being: A systematic literature review.: Journal of Environmental Psychology, 80, 101765: (2022).
Cai, L., Badiola, I., & Elkassabany, N. "Music can be a viable alternative to medications in reducing anxiety before anesthesia procedures." Penn Medicine: (2019).
Chirico, A., & Gaggioli, A. "The potential role of awe for depression." National Library of Medicine.(2021): e0259312
Elsden, Esme, and Brenda Roe. "Does arts engagement and cultural participation impact depression outcomes in adults: a narrative descriptive systematic review of observational studies." Journal of Public Mental Health 20.3 (2021): 159-171.
Huang, Evan, and Jeffrey Huang. "Music Therapy: A Noninvasive Treatment to Reduce Anxiety and Pain of Colorectal Cancer Patients—A Systemic Literature Review." Medicina 59.3 (2023): 482.
Housand, Jessica, Allen Cornelius, and Karen E. Shackleford. "Greater usage and positive mood change for users of a dynamic VR app before and after the COVID-19 pandemic onset." Frontiers in Psychology 15 (2024): 1278207.
Xu, Joy, et al. "Effectiveness of Virtual Reality–Based Well-Being Interventions for Stress Reduction in Young Adults: Systematic Review." JMIR Mental Health 11.1 (2024): e52186.
Bradt, Joke, et al. "Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in cancer patients." Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 8: (2016).
Peng, Cynthia S., Kelly Baxter, and Kate M. Lally. "Music intervention as a tool in improving patient experience in palliative care." American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine® 36.1 (2019): 45-49.
Mallik, Adiel, and Frank A. Russo. "The effects of music & auditory beat stimulation on anxiety: A randomized clinical trial." Plos one 17.3 (2022): e0259312.
Rebecchini, Lavinia. "Music, mental health, and immunity." Brain, behavior, & immunity-health 18 (2021): 100374.
Wu, Pao-Yuan, et al. "Effects of music listening on anxiety and physiological responses in patients undergoing awake craniotomy." Complementary therapies in medicine 32 (2017): 56-60.
Dileo, C., Shim, M., & Bradt, J. Music interventions for preoperative anxiety. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013(6), CD006908:(2013).
Freeman, D., Reeve, S., Robinson, A., Ehlers, A., Clark, D., Spanlang, B., & Slater, M. "Virtual reality in the assessment, understanding, and treatment of mental health disorders." Psychological Medicine, 47(14), 2393–2400: (2017).
Maples-Keller, J. L., Bunnell, B. E., Kim, S.-J., & Rothbaum, B. O. "The use of virtual reality technology in the treatment of anxiety and other psychiatric disorders." Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 25(3), 103–113. (2017).
Music and art can help to decrease anxiety and enhance well-being. Immersive experiences with projection, spatial audio, or virtual reality promote wellness.