This blog post is brought to you by Synapse Team member Beth Matthias-Loghry. In it, she explores how music can have a significant effect on mood. If you're looking for some tunes to pick you up or calm you down, try Freegal, free with a library card!
"Music is life." - Louis Armstrong
"Wherever words fail, music speaks." - Hans Christian Andersen
"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain." - Bob Marley
"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." - Confucius
My roommate in college fell in love with her soon-to-be fiancé because of his mastery with a mixed tape. Music is multi-sensory—sometimes just hearing a song can conjure up emotion, improve your mood, increase your alertness, or alleviate anxiety.
Cartoonist, educator, and wellness coach Ellen Forney says, “Music lights up many different parts of your brain and has a significant effect on mood.” Ellen is the author of Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice From My Bipolar Life, which includes music recommendations in cleverly titled Rock Steady playlists such as Lift it Up, Kick in the Pants and Set it Down. I highly recommend this book!
Ellen has a number of playlists on Spotify, but if you're not a Spotify listener, Freegal's got you covered!
- "The Greatest" by Sia from This Is Acting
- "Learn to Let Go" by Kesha from Rainbow
- "The Weight" by The Band from Let It Rock
- "In the Waiting Line" by Zero 7 from I Love Ibiza
- "Jetstream" by Lusine from Language Barrier
You can also find full albums by some of the artists Ellen recommends:
- Radio Waves by Talking Heads
- Before the Beginning by Fleetwood Mac
- Grief Creature by Mary Lambert
- High Road by Kesha
- Pedazo De Pastel by Mudhoney
There's so much more to discover on Freegal! Here are a handful of playlists that include some amazing artists:
- The Daily Grind featuring Aretha Franklin, Percy Faith, and John Mayer
- The Pop Parade featuring Harry Styles, Kelly Clarkson, and Camila Cabello
- Date Night Vibes featuring Beyoncé, Sam Cooke, and Prince
- The Queens of Rhythm & Blues featuring Etta James and Lula Reed
- Adventures in Funk featuring Michael Jackson, Sly & The Family Stone, and The Commodores
Did you read and enjoy Rock Steady? Novelist, available in our E-Library, has quite a few read-a-likes:
