Reviewed by a board-certified geriatrician
A favorite song can shift how you feel in a few seconds. A short playlist of music that means something to you is a simple, free way to calm down, ease stress and lift your mood. It works at any age, and it's easy to set up for yourself or with someone in your family.
Why music changes how you feel
Music works on the body as well as the mind. Here's what happens when you listen to music you love.
It can turn down the stress response. Stress sets off the body's alarm system, which speeds up the heart, raises blood pressure and releases stress hormones. Music can help settle that alarm. A review of 104 studies with more than 9,600 people found that music interventions lowered stress in how people felt and in the body, with the clearest effect on heart rate, and smaller effects on blood pressure and stress hormone levels [1].
It activates the brain's reward system. Music you find deeply pleasurable releases dopamine, a brain chemical tied to pleasure and reward. In a brain imaging study, people listening to music they had chosen themselves released dopamine in the brain's reward centers. Dopamine rose even while they were waiting for a favorite part of a song, not just when it arrived [2]. During those peak moments, heart rate and breathing actually went up. This is why upbeat favorites can energize you, while slower songs help you wind down.
Effects vary from person to person. Not every study finds a benefit. A review of 14 smaller experiments in healthy adults found no clear effect of music on recovering from a short, stressful task [3]. So treat music as something to try and notice for yourself, not a guaranteed fix.
Your own music works best. In a study of older adults with Alzheimer's disease, music picked for each person eased agitation more than generic "relaxing" music did [4]. That's why the playlist should be yours, not someone else's idea of soothing.
Music is a helpful everyday habit, not a treatment. It works best alongside other good habits like sleep, movement and time with people you care about.
Making your playlist
Think about what moves you. Favorite singers and bands, songs from weddings, church, school or dances, music from places you've lived, and songs in the languages you grew up with.
Make two short lists. One for winding down, with slower, gentle songs. One for lifting your spirits or getting moving, with upbeat favorites.
Start small. Ten to twenty songs is plenty. Add and remove songs as you notice what works.
Leave out songs that bring you down. Skip music tied to a loss or a hard time, unless it feels good to you to hear it.
Setting it up
Use what you already have. A phone, tablet or smart speaker works well. With a smart speaker, you can usually just ask for your playlist by name.
Keep it on your own account. Streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music are meant for personal use, so build the playlist on your own account or a family plan you're part of.
Think about hearing. If you use hearing aids, check whether they connect to your phone. If headphones feel uncomfortable, a small speaker works just as well. Keep the volume comfortable, never loud.
When to use it
Music helps most when it's matched to the moment. Try your wind-down list after a stressful day, before bed, during a hard wait or appointment, or when you feel lonely or on edge. Try your upbeat list for a walk, chores, or a slow morning. Notice how you feel before and after. Over a week or two, you'll learn which songs work best for you.
Making a playlist for someone you care for
Music can be just as helpful for a parent, spouse or friend, including someone living with dementia. Music memory often holds up well in Alzheimer's disease. One brain imaging study found that the areas that store long-known music showed less shrinkage and better energy use than the rest of the brain [5]. For people with dementia, research suggests music programs probably ease low mood a little, though they probably don't reduce agitation [6]. Build the playlist together where you can, start with songs from their teen and early adult years, and watch their face and body. Smiling, humming or tapping along tell you a song is working. Turn it off if they seem upset or overwhelmed.
When to talk with your doctor
Music can help with everyday stress, but it's not a substitute for care. Talk with your doctor if low mood, worry, poor sleep or stress doesn't ease up or gets in the way of daily life. For someone you care for, a sudden change in mood, confusion or behavior can be a sign of an infection or another medical problem, so call their doctor right away.
Sources
de Witte M, Spruit A, van Hooren S, Moonen X, Stams GJ. Effects of music interventions on stress-related outcomes: a systematic review and two meta-analyses. Health Psychol Rev. 2020;14(2):294-324.
Salimpoor VN, Benovoy M, Larcher K, Dagher A, Zatorre RJ. Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music. Nat Neurosci. 2011;14(2):257-262.
Adiasto K, Beckers DGJ, van Hooff MLM, Roelofs K, Geurts SAE. Music listening and stress recovery in healthy individuals: a systematic review with meta-analysis of experimental studies. PLoS One. 2022;17(6):e0270031.
Gerdner LA. Effects of individualized versus classical "relaxation" music on the frequency of agitation in elderly persons with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Int Psychogeriatr. 2000;12(1):49-65.
Jacobsen JH, Stelzer J, Fritz TH, Chételat G, La Joie R, Turner R. Why musical memory can be preserved in advanced Alzheimer's disease. Brain. 2015;138(Pt 8):2438-2450.
van der Steen JT, et al. Music-based therapeutic interventions for people with dementia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025;3:CD003477.