Jam Your Heart Out

April 13, 2020

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Photo courtesy by GraphicMama team on Pixbay.com.

One of my favorite activities I’m missing doing is taking my little brother to the movies and watching his imagination flourish. Luckily, most of the newest movies are releasing early on digital. Trolls World Tour is one of them, and it comes out April 10th. Queen Poppy (leader of pop trolls) and best friend Branch discover that they are not the only Troll tribe. There are six different Troll tribes scattered over nearby lands that are devoted to different genres of music: classical, country, funk, hip-hop, rock, and techno. Poppy and Branch’s lives get a little more interesting as they visit each tribe.

Since this film focuses on the uniqueness and impact of different music, I want to share how music is beneficial to our mental and physical health. There is no doubt the COVID-19 craziness is causing stress levels to increase and energy levels to decrease. Music elevates mood and reduces stress. When music is played, the brain’s production of the hormone dopamine increases. This increased dopamine production helps relieve feelings of anxiety and depression. The amygdala, which is the part of the brain involved in mood and emotions, processes the music, and anxious feelings fade. Certain songs help stimulate memories. For example, music therapy has relieved some symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Listening to music can also reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, decrease cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and increase endorphin levels in the blood. So, listening to upbeat tracks can boost physical performance and increase endurance during a tough exercise session. Music also eases pain. It can meaningfully reduce the perceived intensity of pain, especially in intensive care. The coolest part of music is that is available 24/7. There are music listening apps and websites, such as Pandora, iTunes, or Spotify. Whenever your mood needs a boost, just let out your inner Troll and jam your heart out.

Here are some of my favorite artists from each genre that boost my mood:

Pop
Madonna
Britney Springs
NSYSC
Lady Gaga
Jonas Brothers
Katy Perry
Taylor Swift
Pink

Rock
The Beatles
Pearl Jam
The Eagles
Shinedown
Lifehouse
Evanescence
Papa Roach

Hip-Hop
Lizzo
Usher
Beyonce
Lil John
Nicki Manji

Techno
Chainsmokers
Marshmello

Country
Keith Urban
Kane Brown
Carrie Underwood

Classical
Beethoven

Brooke_Smith93

Brooke Settoon Smith is from Louisiana. She graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and a minor in History. She has a blog called Creative Works by Brooke Settoon Smith, which presents her most recent short stories and poems. She is recently an author on the mobile app called Texties. She is a contributing writer for The Mighty and Unwritten. She has also created a blog called Rolling Through Life by Brooke Smith, which presents her perspective on being born with Cerebral Palsy.