Music has always meant more to me than just sound. It isn’t just a background noise or a hobby. It feels like a part of who I am, shaping my mind and its thinking patterns. Waking up, the first melody I hear can change how the first hours of my day flow. When I feel down, music can either lift my spirit or pull me deeper into sadness. It acts as a mirror and a guide, a companion that stays with me.

Scientists have studied how music affects the brain and body, but I feel it impacts every day, even without data. It can slow my breathing, soften my heartbeat, or make my pulse fasten. It can wrap me in nostalgia so strongly it hurts or push me toward hope when I feel lost. The power of music is immense, and this sometimes frightens me. A single song can completely change my mood, point of view, and even my sense of self.

Music does not just affect humans. There was an interesting study where researchers played different types of music for plants. They found that plants exposed to classical or soft instrumental music grew faster and healthier, while those exposed to loud, chaotic noise became weaker. It feels strange, but it makes sense. Vibrations move through air, ground and water. Life also responds to these vibrations, whether it’s a plant moving toward a sound or a human closing their eyes as a sound resonates within.

Just like plants lean toward a melody, I sometimes feel my own body responding to music. A slow song makes me breathe deeper, my shoulders relax, and my thoughts untangle. A strong beat makes my feet move almost without my own will. It’s as if music speaks directly to parts of me I don’t fully control.

Researchers have discovered that music can help reduce signs of depression and anxiety. It can trigger the release of dopamine, the brain’s good feeling chemical, and lower cortisol, the stress hormone. It can improve focus, memory, and even how we deal with pain. Hospitals sometimes use music therapy for patients recovering from surgery or dealing with chronic illness. But beyond the science, there is something almost magical about how music can reach parts of us that words cannot.

When I reflect on the toughest moments in my life, I can recall the exact songs I was listening to. Some became my anchors. Others turned into wounds I couldn’t touch for years because they reminded me too much of what I lost. Music holds emotions like glass jars contain light, and when I open them, everything spills out. Sometimes I let it out. Sometimes I cannot handle it.

What also fascinates me is how universal music is. Across every culture and throughout history, humans have created music. With drums, flutes, strings, voices, every community has found ways to make sound meaningful. Maybe it’s because music was there before language. Or maybe it’s because our hearts already know rhythm from the moment we are born. After all, I think we are built from it.

For me, music is a need. It has helped me through times when words failed and when the weight in my chest felt unbearable. It has given me strength when I was too exhausted to go on. It reminds me that beauty exists even through pain and I don’t think I could live without it. Or maybe I could, but I wouldn’t be the same person.

I believe that if plants can grow toward music, so can we. We can reach for the sounds that make us stronger, gentler and more alive. We can choose the songs that remind us of who we want to be. And in those moments when life feels overwhelming, perhaps all we need to do is press play and let the music guide us, note by note, back to ourselves.

Cassandre Journoud

Sources:
Mona Lisa Chanda and Daniel J. Levitin – “The neurochemistry of music” (2013)
Anindita Roy Chowdhury and Anshu Gupta – “Effect of Music on Plants” (2015)
Wei Guo and Wenxiu Yu – “Improvement Effect of Music Appreciation on Mental Health of Audience” (2020)