Have you ever noticed how the right song at the right moment can completely change your day? One minute you’re dragging your feet through a slow afternoon, the next you’re vibing out to your own personal DJ set featuring all your greatest hits thanks to a fire bar from Ice Cubes “It Was A Good Day”.
It’s not just in your head, music really can shift your mood in powerful ways.
Music connects directly with the brain’s emotional centres. When we listen to music, our brain releases dopamine, the “feel good” chemical that’s involved in reward and motivation. Having a solid line up of rhythms and beats can make you feel euphoric, nostalgic, comforted, or even give you the push to kick start your day.
Different rhythms, tones, and lyrics all play a role in how we experience a track emotionally. Slow tempos and minor keys often evoke sadness or calm, while upbeat rhythms and major chords can spark joy, excitement, or confidence.
Many of us instinctively use music as a tool to manage emotions. Stressed? You might put on something ambient or acoustic to soothe your nervous system. Feeling low? A high-energy anthem might help lift your spirits. Music acts almost like emotional shorthand, a way to access and process feelings without having to put them into words.
Your taste palette refers to your mouth’s ability to detect five core tastes:
Each of these tastes activates different areas of the tongue and engages our brains in distinct ways, influencing not just flavor but also emotional responses to food.
Cultural cuisines often revolve around balancing these five tastes. For example:
Our experiences, memories, and even our mood influence how we perceive flavours. A meal shared with friends on a beach may taste better simply because of the moment it’s tied to.
Tastes is also trainable. As we grow older and explore more foods, our palette evolves. That’s why something you hated as a kid (like olives or blue cheese) might now be your go-to.