• The push to make music therapy mainstream — Twelve U.S. states now license music therapists and the National Institutes of Health has already invested $40 million to research in this space. Fleming called for states to expand licensure for music therapists and for hospitals and children’s facilities to embed music and arts programs into routine care.
How to Use Music Intentionally to Support Emotional and Physical Wellness
If you've been feeling emotionally flat, mentally overwhelmed or stuck in a loop of anxious thoughts, you need a way to interrupt the cycle. That’s where music becomes your shortcut. Unlike other strategies that ask you to push through or figure it all out, music meets you where you are. It gives structure to your emotions, calms your nervous system and brings your attention back to the present.
But it’s not just about your emotions. If you’re dealing with chronic pain, recovering from surgery or trying to lower your reliance on pain medication, music helps there too. Research shows that patients who listen to music before and after procedures experience less anxiety, report lower pain levels and require fewer opioids. It’s one of the few tools that works on both your brain and your body — at the same time.
If you’ve been through trauma, grief, burnout or any long stretch of stress, you’ve probably noticed how hard it is to just feel OK again. Music helps bridge that gap. It taps into areas of your brain untouched by logic or language. Even when you can’t or won’t talk about what you're feeling, your body starts to regulate and repair. Here’s how to use music as part of your emotional and physical recovery toolkit:
1. Start with what you loved as a child — Go back to the songs you used to play on repeat — what you danced to, cried to or sang in the back seat.
These aren’t just nostalgic. They’re neurologically wired to help you reconnect with parts of yourself buried under stress. If you grew up playing an instrument or singing, try doing that again — even for five minutes.
2. Create a personalized “state-shifting” playlist — Build at least three playlists: one that calms you, one that energizes you and one that helps you cry. Use them deliberately, like emotional prescriptions. When you’re anxious, reach for the calming one. If you feel shut down, go for something upbeat. Let the crying playlist move stuck emotions through. The goal isn’t to fix; it's to flow.
3. Listen with full attention, even just for one song — Instead of letting music fade into the background, give yourself three to five minutes to really listen. Lie down, close your eyes and let the sound take over. This kind of focused listening activates deep healing circuits in your brain. If you’ve never liked meditation, this offers similar nervous system benefits — without the silence.
4. Use rhythm to reset your body clock — If your sleep, appetite or energy patterns feel off, rhythm helps restore order. Try percussion-heavy or evenly paced music at the same time every day, like right when you wake up or before bed. Your brain uses rhythm to track time and create routine. It’s one of the fastest ways to re-regulate your internal clock.
5. Make music social whenever possible — Join a choir, attend a community drum circle, sing in the car with your children or just hum out loud around others. Shared music taps into parts of your brain linked to bonding and oxytocin release. If you’ve been isolating or feeling disconnected, this step matters more than you realize. Your brain responds to group music the same way it responds to physical affection.
Let music become a nonnegotiable part of your daily recovery, both emotional and physical. It’s low-cost, drug-free, noninvasive and always accessible. Your nervous system already knows what to do with it. You just have to press play.
FAQs About Music for Emotional and Physical Wellness
Q: How does music help with emotional recovery and brain health?
Q: What types of music are most beneficial for healing and mental clarity?
Q: Does music therapy offer measurable health benefits?
Q: What are some practical ways to use music for healing at home?
Q: Is there scientific support for using music in clinical settings?
Sources and References
1, 5, 8 American Psychological Association September 2024, Episode 300
2, 4 News Medical April 16, 2025
3, 6 The Journal for Nurse Practitioners April 2025, Volume 21, Issue 4
, 9 The Lancet October 24, 2015, Volume 386, Issue 10004, p1659-1671