Mood-altering substances.
(C’mon, you know you love them and use them sometimes, too.)
I brew one first thing in the morning.
I take the paper wrapper and foil off another one for a sweet treat.
And I will uncork and pour a glass of another every now and again.
Coffee. Chocolate. Wine. These are some of the more common and relatively benign (when used in moderation, of course!) mood-altering substances.
But perhaps my favorite mood-altering “substance” is also the safest one of all: sound waves.
Yes, music.
While music itself isn’t a substance per se, we all know it can be a powerful agent for unlocking a cascade of chemicals in our brains that can produce all kinds of intense emotional experiences.
So, how do you use music to alter your mood?
Here are three ways to thoughtfully do just that!
(You know, for when you’re too anxious for coffee and you’re all out of chocolate…)
1) Comfort Tunes
This is exactly what it sounds like: the mac ‘n’ cheese or chicken soup of your song collection. The tunes you can wrap yourself in like a comfy sweater and cozy up with like a beloved pet. Chances are you first discovered these tunes during a particularly pivotal or enjoyable time in your life, like during a first love of some great life adventure. And they have stuck with you ever since. Play these when you need to experience something familiar when the world just doesn’t seem to make sense. (So, basically, these will probably be in heavy rotation right now!)
2) Misery Loves Company
Sometimes we just need to feel like someone — or something — really gets how we are feeling at any given moment. While it could be sharing in our excitement of joy, as this category name suggests, it is often the unpleasant emotions that need some company. This means picking songs that either musically and/or lyrically match your mood. This can be especially useful if you have been feeling kind of “numb” or disconnected. Those states often mean there are some emotions that our system is not letting us experience or express. It’s our mind’s well-intentioned but ultimately ill-fated attempt to help us “feel better.” But, the truth is, genuine relief actually comes after we let the wave of whatever (sadness, grief, fear, anger) move through us safely. In my experience, few things can do that like a mopey Brit pop tune (e.g. The Smiths, The Cure, etc.)
3) Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Last but not least is using music for mood change. This requires a little bit of emotional self-awareness and intentional planning. First, you need to know how you are feeling. Though that sounds ridiculously straightforward, it is not weird or uncommon to not know how you’re feeling beyond a really basic spectrum like bad/ok/good. That’s a fine starting point, but the more precise you can be, the better — and the better your song selections will be able to invite the desired change in your mood. Feeling a bit sluggish and bored? Choose something with a rhythm and melodic structure that will invigorate you. Feeling sadness, loss, or longing? Try songs that feel big, expansive, and hopeful (think: the kind of anthems that can get a stadium rocking).
As for me, lately I have found myself drawn to a steady playlist of what is best described as indie dance music. A direct descendant of ‘80s synth pop (think: The Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Erasure, etc.), this genre peaked in the early 2000s when a slew of guitar-driven indie rock bands incorporated catchy synth programming and live, danceable drums. It was like the sound of two once-sworn enemies — punk and disco — finally playing nice together.
In no particular order, here are 10 of my favorite indie dance tunes known to boost my mood:
1. MGMT — “Kids”
2. Phoenix — “1901”
3. Robyn — “Dancing On My Own”
4. The Rapture — “House of Jealous Lovers”
5. Empire Of The Sun — “Walkin On A Dream”
6. !!! — “Me and Giuliani Down by the School Yard – A True Story”
7. M83 — “Midnight City”
8. The Knife — “Heartbeats”
9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs — “Y Control”
10. Bloc Party — “Banquet”
What’s your current mood music?
