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New Study: 78 Minutes of Music a Day Improves Mental Health

Music every day keeps the sadness away
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Posted at 2:05 PM, Nov 19, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-19 16:57:17-05

Music is often incorporated into our days.

Whether it's an upbeat song that brings joy to your ears, or a gloomier tune that resurrects nostalgic feelings of someone you once knew, music is actually good for you.

It's true — get a load of this.

A new study, commissioned by music streaming service Deezer and the British Academy of Sound Therapy, have found that we — us humans — should be listening to at least 78 minutes of music per day. According to the research, it's all part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

However, you can't just listen to one specific type of music for a full 78 minutes. You'll need to split the time with different genres in order to have a happy, balanced brain.

There's actually a formula, too. You need:

  • 14 minutes of "uplifting" music to feel happy.
  • 16 minutes of "calming" music to feel relaxed.
  • 16 minutes of whatever you choose to overcome sadness.
  • 15 minutes of "motivating" music to aid concentration.
  • 17 minutes of whatever you choose to help manage your anger.

Deezer even put together some playlists to help you get your "daily dose" of music. If you add all of that up you're in for a sweet recipe of boosted happiness and a smile from ear to ear.

Music influences our lives and at Deezer we try to understand and embrace the relationship that people have with their favorite tunes. Now we’ve been able to go even deeper into that relationship and see how people use music to manage different mental states. It’s a fascinating study. The results offer an idea for how music can be used to manage our emotional and mental health on a daily basis, especially when you have a wide library at your fingertips

- Frederic Antelme, VP Content and Productions at Deezer

The most common emotional benefit listeners got out of the research was relaxation, with 90 percent of participants reporting their music choices helped them relax.

82 percent of the participants reported greater levels of happiness, while 47 percent claim music helped them overcome sadness, 32 percent report better concentration, and 28 percent successfully used music to deal with anger.

In the end, not everyone has 78 minutes to set aside and let the music soak in. Have no fear, though! The study also found that an average of just 11 minutes per day can hand over therapeutic benefits to the brain, and a quick five minutes can boost feelings of happiness.

So, if you're angry, put on some "Du Hast" by Rammstein to really combat your anger and get yourself back on track.

You'll be blasting "Dancing Queen" by ABBA in no time.