6 Ways To Instantly Improve Your Mood With Music

Imagine waking up to a personalized soundtrack that gives you a quick burst of energy to kickstart your morning. As the day progresses, you listen to music that helps you stay on-task at work and find the motivation to exercise. Come bedtime, one final tune takes your mind off your worries and lulls you into instant sleep. 

Spiritune is a one-stop sonic shop that makes days like this possible. The app’s expansive track library is designed to carry listeners from one state (i.e., anxious, tired, bored) to another (i.e., energized, joyful, motivated) within just a few minutes. And, as the following testimonials show, it really works. 

Here are just a few ways our community utilizes Spiritune’s music medicine throughout the day—and the fascinating science behind these goal-oriented listening behaviors.

1. They play it to beat the afternoon slump.

“When I tried Spiritune, I was surprised to feel such a tangible uplift in my energy,” one listener, Natassia, writes. “Normally I take a 20-minute afternoon nap but this definitely takes care of it and helps me stay proactive… The results are real and felt almost immediately (in less than 5 min for sure)!”  Another Spiritune reviewer likes to tune in after lunch to proactively fend off post-meal fatigue.

They’re not the only ones who use sound to beat the afternoon slump: In 2024, Spiritune’s peak listening window for users was between 2-4 p.m. local time. 

Why it works: A brand-new review of nine studies concludes that music can help counteract the mental fatigue that so many of us feel while working long hours. This could be due to the way listening to pleasing music stimulates the release of dopamine. Study authors speculate that dopamine could help counteract the effects of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that is released in the brain’s anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) during fatiguing tasks. 

2. They tune in during moments of anxiety and overwhelm.

Spiritune user John writes: “I’ve really enjoyed being able to use this app for winding down and reducing my anxiety. The sounds are beautifully composed and the settings to get you where you need to go are very well thought out.” Based on user surveys, 90% of listeners agree that our science-driven playlists help them reach their emotional goals—often within just 10 minutes of listening. And “Anxious to Chill” was the most frequent mood transition listeners embarked on in 2024.

Why it works: The right sounds can help counteract the stress response because of a principle known as “entrainment.” Basically, when you listen to music that’s slow, calm, and controlled, your body can sync up with its rhythm. This is demonstrated in research that found that when 60 healthy women listened to music before experiencing a stressor, they tended to recover from it faster. Here’s a deep dive into the science of how music combats stress and anxiety.

3. They use it to block out distractions and get into a flow state.

“For anyone sensitive to noise distraction, you will love this for lowering stress and finding focus,” writes Andrew, a Spiritune user who notes that his journey into a flow state typically only takes a few minutes when the app is playing. It’s no wonder that last year’s top listening category was Work Flow; designed for finding focus at work and getting in the mood to tackle to-do’s with clarity.

Another bonus is that Spiritune’s personalized journeys negate the need to skip between songs or playlists, so you can stay in the zone. As one user puts it, "Spiritune does with one button press what I attempt and fail to achieve with self-curation."

Why it works: While music with lyrics seems to negatively impact cognition, instrumental tracks like Spiritune’s can improve working memory and speed up performance in skill tasks according to research. They can both mask distracting background noise and trigger the release of neurotransmitters associated with motivation, such as dopamine.

4. They weave it into their mindfulness routines. 

Just like music medicine gets people to transition into a work mindset, it can help guide them out of it. For example, check out this use case from Spiritune listener Greg: “I am a 30-year-old combat Marine, multiple deployments, multiple command roles, and a pretty intense guy. I walk around my garden and yard with my Spiritune app every evening to wind down from work.”

Why it works: This is a beautiful example of music’s ability to promote mindfulness. Research suggests that it can guide people away from the thoughts circulating in their heads and attune (no pun intended) to the present moment instead. This makes it a perfect companion for gardens, scenic trails, or any other setting you want to give your full attention. 

5. They lean on it for childcare support.

Music medicine isn’t just for adults! As one Spiritune listener writes, “My toddler son was losing his mind, didn’t want to be held, wanted no one in his room, screaming and crying. 10 minutes of Spiritune ‘Angry to Relaxed’ music and he’s back to normal.” Another user, Sarah, notes that her son now requests Spiritune (or, as he calls it, “brain music”) to help him concentrate during Lego time. 

Why it works: Children process music more slowly than adults do, but they’re affected by it in much the same way. Gentle tunes can help kids slow down during periods of hyperactivity, and studies in schools suggest they can lead to tangible improvements in emotional intelligence, academic performance, and prosocial skills.

6. They let it ease them into sleep.

“As an NYPD officer working night shifts, sleep can be tough to come by,” one listener writes, “but Spiritune has been a game changer for me. The app’s personalization helps me unwind and fall asleep faster, even after a long, intense shift. I wake up feeling more refreshed and ready to take on the next night.” 

Another user, Laura, has even found that Spiritune helps tone down the panic attacks she sometimes gets before bed. “I kept my earphones in until my panic attack passed and the music morphed into ocean waves, which was so lovely,” she writes of one experience with the app.

Why it works: There’s a reason lullabies have helped kids drift off to sleep for millennia. Soft, low-tempo music can improve sleep quality in those with and without insomnia—likely due to its ability to ease stress, take the focus off repetitive thoughts, and promote relaxation.

With these real-world success stories under our belt, we look forward to another year of connecting listeners in 98 countries (and counting!) with the healing powers of sound, from morning until night.