Music and creative ways to lift your mood

This page is general information, not medical advice. Do Not Lose Hope does not provide counseling or crisis help.

Does music really help?

It can. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, summarizes the research this way (NCCIH, checked October 21, 2026):

• Low mood. A 2017 review of 9 studies with 421 people found moderate quality evidence that adding music to usual depression treatment improved symptoms.
• Stress. A 2020 review of 104 studies found small to medium benefits on body stress measures, like heart rate, and medium to large benefits on how stressed people felt.
• Anxiety. Most studies are promising. One review found recorded music lowered anxiety before surgery.

NCCIH is also honest about limits. Much of the research is early, many studies are small, and music works best as part of care, not a replacement for therapy or medicine.

That matches what many people know from life. A song can make you cry when you could not before. It can calm your body on the bus home, or bring back a whole afternoon from your childhood.

What about art, writing and other creative things?

A World Health Organization review in 2019 looked at more than 3,000 studies and found a major role for the arts in preventing illness and in managing and treating it, across the whole lifespan (WHO Europe, checked October 21, 2026).

You do not need talent. The benefit comes from doing, not from how it looks or sounds. Creative activities you can try:

• drawing, coloring or painting
• writing in a notebook, writing a letter you will never send, or writing a poem
• cooking a recipe from home
• sewing, knitting, embroidery or weaving
• dancing in your kitchen
• singing, alone or with others
• photography on your phone
• gardening or arranging flowers
• playing an instrument, even a simple one

What can I try in ten minutes?

These are our ideas, not a treatment. Pick one. Set a timer if it helps.

1. Match, then lift. Play a song that fits how you feel now, even if it is sad. Then play one that is a little calmer or a little brighter. Then one more. Moving step by step can feel easier than jumping straight to "happy" music.

2. Breathe with a slow song. Choose a slow song. Breathe in for a few counts, out for a few counts, with the beat. Let your shoulders drop.

3. Sing it out. Sing a song from home, out loud, in your first language. A song in your own language can bring you back to yourself.

4. Draw your feeling. Take any paper. Without thinking, draw what today feels like using only shapes and colors. No one has to see it.

5. Write three lines. Write: "Right now I feel ___. What I need is ___. One small thing I can do is ___."

6. Move. Put on one song and walk, stretch or dance until it ends.

7. Share a song. Send a song to someone you love and tell them why. Connection is part of what helps.

For more quick calming tools, see Simple grounding exercises to calm fear and stress.

How can I make this a habit?

A few ideas we suggest:

• Build three playlists: one to calm down, one for energy, one for when you need to cry it out. Save them so they are ready when you need them.
• Attach it to something you already do: music while cooking, a drawing before bed, singing on the drive to work.
• Do it with others. A family dance night, a choir at your place of worship or community center, a craft circle, or kids drawing at the kitchen table with you.
• Keep the tools close. A notebook and pen by the bed. Colored pencils in a kitchen drawer.

Is there anything to watch out for?

NCCIH says research generally shows no harm from music based activities, with a few cautions (NCCIH):

• Volume. Loud listening, especially with earbuds, can damage your hearing over time. Our rule of thumb: keep it at a level where you could still hear someone talk to you.
• Memories. A song tied to a hard time, a loss or a place you had to leave can bring up strong feelings. That can be healing, but if it overwhelms you, switch songs and come back later.
• Strain. Playing an instrument for long periods can cause pain. Take breaks.

If grief comes up, see Living with grief when a loved one was deported.

What is music therapy?

"Music therapy" means care from a trained, credentialed music therapist. NCCIH notes the term describes the therapist's training, not one specific activity. Listening to a playlist on your own is helpful, but it is not music therapy (NCCIH).

Some hospitals, clinics and schools offer music or art therapy. If you are in counseling, ask your counselor if they use music or art, or can refer you to someone who does.

When is music not enough?

Music and art are good tools. They are not a substitute for care when you are really struggling.

Reach out for help if:

• you have felt down, empty or hopeless most days for more than two weeks (the point when the National Institute on Aging says to see a doctor)
• you cannot sleep, eat or work like before
• you are drinking or using drugs more to cope
• you have thoughts of hurting yourself or not wanting to live

If you have thoughts of suicide, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. In a life threatening situation, call 911.

For counseling, start with Mental health care without fear. In San Mateo County, the BHRS ACCESS Call Center is open 24/7 at (800) 686-0101 (TTY 711), for people with Medi-Cal or no insurance. In Santa Clara County, call Behavioral Health Services at (800) 704-0900. Elsewhere in California, find your county line on the DHCS county list.

My mood playlist and creative plan

Questions people ask

I am not creative. Will this work for me? Yes. You do not need skill. Doodles and off key singing count.

Is it OK to listen to sad songs when I am sad? Often, yes. Sad music can help you feel understood. If it pulls you lower and lower, switch to something a little lighter.

Can music help my kids? Yes. Singing, dancing and making things together are good for children and for you. See Why play helps your child cope with stress.

Where can I find free creative groups? Ask your local library, community center, senior center or place of worship. Many have free classes, choirs or craft circles.

Who can help

Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• San Mateo County BHRS ACCESS Call Center: (800) 686-0101, 24/7, TTY 711.
• Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services: (800) 704-0900.
• Other California counties: DHCS county mental health plan list.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Your voice, your songs and your hands carry a lot of strength. Use them for yourself today.