Music has an incredible ability to impact our emotions and mental well-being. Many of us have experienced the way a particular song can lift our mood, calm our minds, or help us express emotions we may find difficult to articulate. Music can be a source of comfort and encouragement during tough times and has been proven to help us regulate our nervous system.
I’ve come across a number of curated playlists that organizations created in support of your mental health and I wanted to share them with you! These playlists feature songs recommended by community members, youth, and mental health professionals.
- One Brave Night Playlist by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health – Songs submitted by listeners that have helped them get through difficult times.
- Feel Out Loud Playlist by Kids Help Phone – A playlist celebrating the local artists involved in Kids Help Phone’s #FeelOutLoud campaign.
- Playlist by Music For Mental Health – This playlist features songs created by youth aiming to spreads awareness about mental health through music.
- Winning Playlist from the 2023 CBC Music Playlist Challenge: What music moves your mood? – It was created by a group of students from Peter Pitseolak High School in Kinngait, Nunavut
- Music and Mental Health by JB Music Therapy – the songs aim to promote inspiration, motivation and comfort between therapy sessions
- Mood Tunes by the Mental Health Coalition – 10 different playlists curated to match various emotions
If a song or playlist is not your vibe, that’s completely okay! You can explore other music genres or create your own playlists with songs that bring you joy, comfort or resonate most with you 🙂
If you are interested in exploring further the connection between mental health and music, we’ve had the absolute honour of interviewing inspiring musicians who advocate for mental health through their music. Explore the interviews under the self-Expression section on our site.
The idea of Feel Good Fridays started because we believe the simple things that bring a smile to our face are some of the best things. Smiling and laughing has been proven to reduce stress in our lives! When we smile or laugh it releases neurotransmitters in our brain called endorphins, which are in charge of making us happy and helping to relieve stress.