Harnessing the power of music to improve mental health

Talk like a music researcher

Cognitive — the processes related to conscious intellectual activity, such as thinking and remembering

Dalcroze Eurythmics — a method of music education based on the connection between music and body movement, developed by Émile Jaques-Dalcroze in Switzerland in the early 1900s

Dementia — an umbrella term referring to a range of progressive conditions with symptoms including memory loss, confusion and impaired cognitive ability

Electroencephalography (EEG) — the measurement of electrical activity in parts of the brain

Hormone — a chemical that regulates the body’s functions

Motor control — the ability to control your own movements

Physiological marker — a biological state that can be measured to evaluate the body’s function or response to an intervention, e.g., heart rate

Have you ever felt happier after listening to music, playing an instrument, singing a song or dancing along to your favourite tunes? Interacting with music can have significant benefits for both your physical and mental health, meaning music can play an important role in your well-being. “Participating in musical activities can help cognitive function, reduce the risk of developing mental illnesses and reduce the severity of existing mental health conditions,” says Professor Gilles Comeau, Director of the University of Ottawa’s Music and Health Research Institute and of the Music and Mental Health Research Clinic at The Royal, a specialised mental healthcare centre. Gilles is convinced of the power of music for improving health and well-being. His mission is to make healthcare-related music participation accessible to all who will most benefit from it.

The benefits of music

“Music is particularly powerful because it is a complex, but accessible, activity,” explains Gilles. “Music is complex because it involves multiple senses. For instance, sound, vision and touch are integrated together when playing an instrument.” The benefits of music are spread across the spectrum of physical and mental health. For example, engaging with music triggers the release of dopamine, the ‘feel-good’ hormone that elicits feelings of pleasure and reward. “Music is also a powerful tool for promoting cognitive well-being,” Gilles adds. “Introducing new skills and new knowledge ignites curiosity and cognitive growth, which can be especially valuable for older adults.”

Collective music-making can be a form of social cohesion. It has the power to connect people, which helps to combat social isolation. However, many individuals who could most benefit from such music-making activities are commonly excluded from mainstream music participation. “People with mental health issues, physical limitations or cognitive impairments often experience an unwelcome reception when trying to involve themselves in musical activities, even if their impairments do not hinder their ability to participate in collective music-making,” says Gilles. “Bringing music to these vulnerable populations can help overcome feelings of exclusion and isolation.”

This is not just about improving the well-being of individuals; it is also supporting a fundamental human right. “The Human Rights Act emphasises the need to provide equal opportunities for engagement in the arts,” says Gilles. “That means all people, including marginalised populations, should have the chance to foster their artistic aspirations and take advantage of the health benefits of music participation.”

The Music and Health Research Institute

The Music and Health Research Institute aims to increase the body of research into the links between music and both physical and mental health, and to provide ways to implement these research findings. “We explore interactions between music and health with the aim of developing solutions to improve well-being for individuals and communities,” explains Gilles. “Our vision is to increase our understanding about how best to integrate musicians and music educators into healthcare and social settings.”

In practice, this takes a variety of forms. The institute develops music programmes for vulnerable populations and individuals with certain mental health conditions, ranging from mood disorders to substance dependencies to dementia. “We also provide best-practice guidelines and strategies for training musicians and music educators, so they can bring their skills and knowledge to healthcare settings,” says Gilles. “On the healthcare side, we raise awareness among health and social care professionals about the benefits of community-based musical activities.”

Gilles’ own research focuses on how music can benefit older adults and combat age-related health conditions. “Playing music can help combat conditions including dementia, depression, anxiety and signs of physical decline such as frailty, loss of balance and poor posture,” says Gilles. “Moreover, collective music-making combats social isolation and loneliness, which are often serious issues among older people.”

Moving to music

Research has demonstrated that music participation involving movement is especially impactful for improving physical and mental health. “We are using a method of interactive music education called Dalcroze Eurythmics, which focuses on body movements to music,” says Gilles. “A typical class involves participants moving to music, using a mix of improvised movements alternating with structured, choreographed rhythmic sequences, and sometimes featuring props such as balls or hoops.” Dalcroze Eurythmics has promising health benefits for many different populations, including children, adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and older adults with cognitive impairments. “Musical activities that involve movement also build strength and motor control,” says Gilles. “The dual tasks of listening to music and translating what is heard into movement have benefits to physical and cognitive health.”

Gilles emphasises that programmes such as Dalcroze Eurythmics are not necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution, and that research is needed to show what works best for different people. “It is important to test each programme multiple times with different people experiencing various mental health conditions to establish its full benefit – what works, for whom and in what context,” he says. At the Music and Mental Health Research Clinic, the team is now developing additional interactive music-making programmes, including percussion ensembles and drumming improvisation workshops.

Exploring the science behind music for mental health

It is important to provide evidence that musical intervention programmes, such as Dalcroze Eurythmics or percussion ensembles, are actively benefiting their participants. “Research into music and mental health requires expertise from many fields,” says Gilles. “This is why the Music and Mental Health Research Clinic has established partnerships with a wide range of researchers across Canada and beyond.”

For instance, some researchers are measuring physiological markers to quantitatively assess individuals’ well-being before, during and after participation in musical activities. “Physiological markers of anxiety include breathing rate, heart rate, sleeping patterns and levels of the stress hormone, cortisol,” says Gilles. Other techniques measure participants’ physical capabilities, for example by conducting tasks to assess motor control or using thermal imaging to measure muscle inflammation. Cognitive tests, such as puzzles, and electroencephalography (EEG) can measure participants’ mental performance. “We also use qualitative measurements, including questionnaires to ask participants about their moods, such as feelings of depression and anxiety, and their overall sense of mental well-being,” explains Gilles. “In combination with interviews and focus groups, we can gain an understanding of how our programmes benefit participants’ mental health.”