How Music Affects The Brain To Beat Stress ? Any episode leading to undue tension and overwhelming affects humans physically and mentally, otherwise known as stress. That’s when our adrenal glands release a hormone called cortisol. Now, cortisol itself isn’t harmful as it gives us the energy to cope with perplexing situations. But like all good things, too much of it wreaks havoc in the long term. That’s why individuals exposed to chronic or perpetual episodes of stress often find themselves as victims of depression and generalized anxiety disorder. This is where music acts as a savior. The Essence of Music therapy Most of us believe that music therapy is about listening to music. But that’s only partially correct. Music therapy works in different forms for different age groups, much like art therapy. Every individual works with a dedicated music therapist with different personal goals. Some popular music therapy activities include composing a melody, songwriting, and playing instr