The healing power of music

Music has been woven into human life across cultures and centuries. From Aristotle’s belief that it could soothe both body and soul, to contemporary evidence demonstrating its capacity to promote relaxation, elevate mood and help process emotions such as anger or frustration, melody and rhythm remain powerful allies in wellbeing.

Evidence for Music’s Therapeutic Effects

Studies in clinical populations reveal significant benefits of music listening:

• Post-operative Pain and Anxiety - Patients who listened to self-selected or provided music after surgical procedures reported lower pain scores and reduced anxiety compared with control groups receiving standard care alone (Nilsson, 2008).

• Fibromyalgia - In an ecological momentary assessment of women with fibromyalgia, music listening was associated with improved perceived control over pain—particularly when tracks were chosen for their positive valence or for activation and relaxation purposes—although no direct reduction in pain intensity was observed (Linnemann et al., 2015).

• Randomised Trials in Fibromyalgia - A pilot randomised study found that twice-daily, 30-minute sessions of preferred music listening over four weeks improved mental wellbeing, though pain perception remained unchanged (Raglio et al., 2023).

• Muscle Relaxation and Endorphin ReleaseOxford researchers have proposed that music induces muscle relaxation and stimulates endogenous opioid pathways, thereby attenuating pain and tension in chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia (Algergawy & Shereen, 2018).

Although individual responses vary, consistent engagement with music tends to amplify these effects over time, supporting cardiovascular regulation, mood stability and stress reduction.

Integrating Music at Cleary Counselling

Although I do not offer formal music therapy, I encourage clients to weave music into their self-care routines as a complementary resource:

1. Client-Led Playlists - Clients compile tracks that reflect or shift their mood, fostering agency and personal resonance.

2. Personal Practice Prompts - Clients receive bespoke playlists or musical exercises to integrate between sessions, reinforcing autonomy in self-soothing.

   
   

Tips for Your Own Music Practice

• Notice Tension Points - Play a calming piece and scan your body for areas of tightness. Breathe into those spots and allow the music to guide your release.

• Build a “Reset” Playlist - Select five to seven tracks that reliably calm or uplift you. Use it as an on-demand emotional quick fix.

• Pair Movement with Melody - Gentle dance, seated stretches or restorative yoga flows set to music can deepen relaxation and strengthen mind–body connection.

Next time you press play, pause to observe how music influences your mood, muscle tension and overall sense of ease. Whether in our sessions or in your daily life, let these notes accompany you towards greater balance, resilience and wellbeing.

For more information, please visit:https://clearycounselling.co.uk/services; Instagram @cleary_counselling; or Facebook

References

Algergawy, S. & Shereen, A. (2018) ‘Musical therapy as a new strategy for pain in fibromyalgia’, Rheumatology, 57(suppl_3), key075.564. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/key075.564.

Linnemann, A., Kappert, M. B., Fischer, S., Doerr, J. M., Strahler, J. & Nater, U. M. (2015) ‘The effects of music listening on pain and stress in the daily life of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome’, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9, 434. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00434.

Nilsson, U. (2008) ‘The anxiety- and pain-reducing effects of music interventions: a systematic review’, AORN Journal, 87(4), pp. 780–807.

Raglio, A., Bettaglio, R., Manera, M. R., Aiello, E. N., Gontero, G., Imbriani, C., Brischigiaro, L., Bonezzi, C. & Demartini, L. (2023) ‘Feasibility of therapeutic music listening in fibromyalgia: a randomised controlled pilot study’, Neurological Sciences, 44, pp. 723–727. doi: 10.1007/s10072-022-06488-9.