World Music Day 2025: Here’s how music can aid healing and mental well-being

When Mumbai-based dance professional Shivani Gawde was going through a tough time in 2021, she found solace in music. “My dad was admitted in hospital and I had to fulfill many ‘adulting’ responsibilities. It was an overwhelming time,” she opens up about her experience.

Sharing how music became her anchor back then, Gawde says, “My dad and I share a common love for ‘ghazals’. So, I would sit beside him in the hospital and play songs for him, and that’s how we got through the day. During that time, I was part of an online community where music artistes used to gather and just jam. They would also take requests. On one particularly overwhelming day, when my dad was asleep in the hospital, I put in a request for the song ‘Aaj Jaane Ki Zidd Na Karo’, which we both love. The artiste sang the song, and that memory is locked with me forever.  In that moment, I felt okay.”

Besides the song itself, the 33-year-old also found solace in the moral support the artistes and the community extended to her, and she also ended up with a friend.

Gawde is one of many people who have turned to music for comfort and peace. For 22-year-old Vaishnavi Trivedi, music is not just a place of comfort but a non-judgemental space that helps her feel things. “Music helps me navigate through my emotions the way I want to. Along with music, dance helps me channel my feelings. Every time, even at work, when I feel too overwhelmed, I just put sway to music and have my own mini concert,” she reveals.

But why do people feel so connected to music?

“Music, with different lyrics and compositions, has the ability to give words to our feelings – even those that are difficult to express, or those that we might not be explicitly aware of. It gives a sense of feeling visible and validated in such situations. Music has the power to make us feel less lonely in our experiences as we get an assurance that someone somewhere is experiencing similar feelings,” explains Utkarsha Jagga, a Delhi-based counselling psychologist and founder of The Coping Central, a mental health service.

Beyond the tough times, music is a companion for many even in moments of happiness, acting as a source of motivation or joy.

Dr Shambhavi Das, an Indian classical vocalist and music therapist, states, “Music naturally has a frequency that gives happiness and connects to emotions, memories, and a sense of identity. This frequency is pleasing to the senses, and has the ability to reach parts of the mind that logic and conversations cannot. Music is deeply woven into the fabric of human existence.”

She also highlights that music aligns the vibrations, or frequencies, of the universe with those of the human body, bringing a sense of comfort, safety and belongingness.

For 29-year-old Dhruvan Sharma, music is a constant element in his life, irrespective of his mood and circumstances. “For me, it is a medium of getting transported to a different place,” he states.

“If I am going for a run, I might listen to upbeat music. In spiritual moments, I might listen to a ‘Shabad’ or religious songs. These days, I am listening to music that makes me feel I am amidst the mountains, and brings nostalgia,” he reveals.

While music may be a source of comfort and happiness in day-to-day life, beyond casual listening, it is often used in clinical settings as a tool to work on mental well-being. “Listening to music can reduce cortisol (the stress hormone), elevate dopamine (associated with pleasure), and even improve heart rate and sleep quality. Whether through structured music therapy or casual listening, music activates areas of the brain involved in emotion regulation, memory and reward,” states Jagga.

Several studies in the field of neuroscience, psychology and music therapy have demonstrated positive results related to effects of music on emotions and brain function. One such study, published in June in the journal eClinicalMedicine, which is a part of The Lancet Discovery Science, found that music therapy may offer effective interventions for reducing anxiety symptoms. Another study published in June 2023 in the European Journal of Public Health suggested that active (music-making and singing) and passive (listening) music activities can positively influence health and well-being for people above the age of 40.

What kind of music facilitates mental well-being?

Experts state that different kinds of music aid well-being in different situations. “There isn’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all when it comes to music and feeling good. It’s often dependent upon our mood and the life space we have been in,” states Jagga.

She adds, “Slower tempos, soothing melodies, and gentle instrumentation often support relaxation and emotional regulation. For some, upbeat or nostalgic music can be energising and uplifting. Music with affirming lyrics or that evokes a sense of meaning and connection can also support healing.”

Dr Das, on the other hand, highlights the three types of music that are often used in music therapy.

“There are three categories: slow melodic music which reduces stress and anxiety, steady music that helps in emotional regulation and facilitating acceptance and self-love, and rhythmic music that boosts energy, focus and motivation,” she informs.

Additionally, she also states that music that blends sounds from nature aids in sleep and relaxation, and chanting mantras, or meditative music, facilitates creativity and calmness of mind.

However, this cannot be generalised, she states.

Music: Therapy or therapeutic?

Given the deep-rooted impact of music in our lives, it is not uncommon for many to confuse listening to music with therapy, however, experts warn that this notion could be harmful. 

“Music is inherently therapeutic. We, as humans, have never been away from music. It aligns with us psychologically and physiologically,” states Dr Das, adding, “However, music can be considered therapy only in structured, clinical settings where it is used as a tool by mental health professionals to achieve a particular goal relating to mental well-being.”

Jagga further states, “Music can absolutely be therapeutic, but it’s not a substitute for therapy. However, music can be a powerful tool within therapy, especially in music therapy – a field where trained therapists use musical interventions to address psychological goals. So, while music on its own is deeply supportive, healing and regulating, it’s best seen as a complement to therapy, not a replacement for it.”

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