Easing Menopause Symptoms With Music Therapy

Have you ever been in the grocery store, and your favorite song comes over the speakers? For a brief moment, everything might seem a little bit better.

Maybe you start belting out lyrics in the car, and the traffic doesn’t seem so bad anymore?

Most people don’t stop to consider how therapeutic music can be. Around menopause, it may offer relief from symptoms and help you feel more like yourself.

What Is Music Therapy?

Music therapy is the clinical use of music to address the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of an individual or group.

It’s an evidence-based approach proven to reduce stress, minimize pain, and improve overall wellness. It can take many forms and can be customized to meet individualized goals.

Music therapy can feel miraculous for many. It has the ability to change your brain and your physiology all without the use of medication.

What Happens in Music Therapy?

Formal music therapy takes place in sessions with a trained professional therapist. First, the therapist assesses your needs, your experience with music, and your personal preferences.

Your music therapy session could include the following:

• Listening to music

• Singing

• Playing instruments/creating music

• Discussing music

• Moving to/dancing to music

Music Therapy’s Effect On the Brain

Music releases mood-enhancing chemicals that music therapists can harness therapeutically.

Your brain uses the same pathways to process pain as it does music. Simply listening to music can reduce the level of cortisol (stress hormone), a good thing for women who often feel stressed out. Additionally, research has found that levels of dopamine (“the feel-good hormone”) increase when we listen to music we enjoy.

Music therapy is also a powerful tool to enhance neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt and change). A 2003 study compared the plasticity of musicians’ brains to non-musicians’ brains and found that several areas in the frontal cortex were more developed in musicians’ brains.

Music Therapy for Menopause Symptom Relief

Listening to music has been shown to reduce depression levels in postmenopausal women. Another study found that listening to music can decrease feelings of irritability and lessen hot flashes associated with menopause.

While these studies were small and more research is necessary, there is certainly no harm in trying music therapy for menopause symptom relief.

Start Listening

While music therapy is done with a therapist’s guidance, you can still reap the benefits of music on your own with these tips.

1. Create a playlist of songs you like, especially those that make you happy. Be sure to include songs that make you want to move your body!

2. Practice mindful listening. Find a quiet, relaxing space to do nothing other than listening. Close your eyes and focus on each sound. Notice the different instruments or voices, the tone, and the shifts in volume.

3. Reflect. Write down how the music makes you feel. What emotions come to the surface? Where do you feel the music in your body?

4. Explore new music. We all have our musical preferences. While it’s good to have your “go-to’s,” don’t forget there’s endless music available. Step outside what’s familiar to you and try something new.

5. Attend live music performances. It’s hard to beat an in-person music experience. Not only does it sound better, but your body may respond in a way that may surprise you. Concerts are collective experiences, and those alone are known to improve our mood.