Should I Listen to Sad Music?

Often when we're feeling down we feel drawn to sad music. There are good reasons for this. Our brains use sadness as a way to get our attention and make us think about how to solve the problems we're facing. Listening to sad music can help us do this by reflecting on our emotions and thinking of solutions.

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But there are times when listening to sad music might not be so helpful. If you're experiencing depression listening to sad music might make you dwell on negative thoughts and get stuck in your emotions. Something that can more helpful is known as cognitive reframing, which is when we try to look at the situation we're going through from a fresh perspective. Music that has a positive message (even if it sounds sad) can help us rethink our attitude towards our situation and feel more hopeful.

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If you do decide to listen to sad music, it's important to be mindful of the thoughts and emotions that come up. In our research people told us that sometimes what helps is to choose music that allows you to really sit in the emotions you're experiencing for a little while. Have a  cry if you need to, but be aware of the thoughts triggered by the music and reflect on those thoughts. Are there other ways you could look at your situation that might be more helpful? A cognitive behavioural therapist can help you work through these thoughts and MoodyTunes is designed to help you do that too.

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Overall, there are a lot of really wonderful ways that music can support our wellbeing! The important thing is to select music consciously. Don't just fall into old habits or keep pulling out the same old songs you always listen to when feeling low, but really reflect on the effect the music is having and the thoughts they're triggering. Try to find music that helps you use those health coping skills like problem-solving, reframing or feeling hope and gratitude.

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Dr. Sandra Garrido

Western Sydney University