Healing Through Music

Can you tell us about your research on the neurochemistry and phenomenology of music improvisation?

ER: That aspect of my research explores what happens in the brain and body when people engage in music improvisation — both from a neurochemical and experiential perspective.

We know that improvising music, whether alone or with others, can enhance cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation and social bonding (when with other people of course). On a neurochemical level, there’s evidence that improvisation is linked to increased dopamine release (which supports motivation and pleasure), oxytocin (which fosters trust and connection) and reductions in stress hormones like cortisol.

The phenomenology — how people describe their lived experience — is just as fascinating.

The participants in my study reported entering a state of “flow,” where they felt fully absorbed, time seems to slip away and there’s a deep sense of connection to the music and others. The next step for us will be to scale up the study and look for relationships between the flow experience and health outcomes.

How does music affect the brain’s response to anxiety? Are there specific neurochemical changes that occur?

ER: Music has a powerful way of modulating anxiety because it interacts with multiple brain systems involved in emotion regulation. Music preferred by a person can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body shift out of a stress response and into a state of relaxation. From a neurochemical perspective, music can:

• Reduce cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone.
• Increase dopamine, which helps with mood regulation and motivation.
• Elevate serotonin, which contributes to feelings of well-being.
• Boost oxytocin, especially when making music with others, fostering social bonding and trust. This probably also contributes to a sense of safety, furthering the reduction of anxiety.

Are there specific genres, rhythms or techniques that are particularly effective in reducing anxiety?

ER: Not really, but individual preferences play a large role in this area. However, research and clinical practice suggest a few common patterns:

• Slow, steady tempos (60–80 bpm) tend to engage the body’s relaxation response. Think of gentle acoustic guitar, ambient music or slower classical pieces.
• Repetitive rhythms — such as drumming or any kind of looping patterns — can help regulate breathing and heart rate.
• Low-frequency sounds and harmonic overtones may promote relaxation by stimulating the vagus nerve. Experienced in-person, it’s possible that the physical sounds may play a role beyond those perceived on recordings.
• Music with personal meaning — whether it’s a nostalgic song or a deeply familiar melody — can be especially effective in reducing stress and promoting a sense of safety

That said, the best music for reducing anxiety is often whatever resonates emotionally with the listener.

What are some practical ways students, faculty and staff at UH can integrate music into their daily routines to support their mental health?

ER: There are plenty of simple ways to incorporate music into daily life for mental well-being:

• Start or end the day with intentional listening — a calming piece of music in the morning or before bed can set the tone for relaxation. A person would want to find some music that matches their current mood first, then maybe a 2^nd, 3^rd, or 4^th piece that moves them in the direction of how they would prefer to feel.
• Use music for focus — some of the so-called “Mozart effect” research indicates that listening to music prior to work that requires deep focus, rather than during, might be a more useful approach. If your focus doesn’t need to be that deep or intense but you do need to concentrate, there’s no magic style or genre, just pick something you like and keep the volume at some a level that best suits your needs in the moment.
• Move with music — whether that’s dancing, stretching or even walking in rhythm with a song. This is a whole topic to itself! The connection between music, mood and movement and effects on all sorts of things anxiety related like connecting with others, feeling secure in your own body, strength, joy … we could hold a conference session on this topic.
• Create music, even in small ways — humming, drumming on a desk or improvising on an instrument can be a quick mood booster. Let’s start a UH ensemble for musical novices — Coogs Connect!
• Use music for emotional processing — work with a music therapist to curate playlists for different moods to help regulate emotions throughout the day.

Music doesn’t have to be background noise — it can be a tool for self-care when used with intention.

Can you share any particularly compelling examples from your research where music had a significant impact on anxiety or social connection?

ER: From my work as a clinician — wow there are so many instances I remember. Once was when I was working in adult psychiatry and there was a young woman in a group session who began a session physically shaking from anxiety, and over the course of the hour she was able to settle the physical symptoms of her experience, making her feel much more comfortable.

What sets music therapy apart from other forms of therapy?

ER: Not to overly state the obvious, but it’s the music. Using music purposefully for non-musical therapeutic purposes, in ways that take advantage of the neurological overlaps between musical and non-musical behavior, seems to result in enhanced outcomes in many areas of therapy.

Is there anything else you’d like our UH community to know about the connection between music, improvisation and mental health?

ER: I’d emphasize that music is an accessible and universal tool for well-being — one that anyone can engage with, regardless of musical skill. Improvisation teaches us to be present, to embrace uncertainty and to connect with others in meaningful ways. We all need this all the time, but perhaps now more than ever.