Researchers at the University of Manchester studied a group of 10 participants to find a connection between loud music and pleasure.
They discovered that music above 90 dB (typical for a concert or night club) can affect the sacculus, an inner-ear organ designed to help us stay balanced but that happens to also be tuned to sound frequencies found in music. The sacculus is part of the vestibular system. This system is responsible for self motion and balance and is connected to the brain’s hypothalamus, which manages our foundational drives, such as hunger, sex, and sleep.
What this means is that the loud music may be causing the hypothalamus to mimic a response similar to that invoked when we swing, go bungee jumping, or ride a free-fall waterslide.
It doesn’t need to be just loud music at a concert or club, however. The sound levels of our own signing can reach as high as 130 dB, more than enough to affect your sacculus.
So, if you’re feeling down, why not turn up the tunes, close your eyes, and sing along at the top of your lungs? You might feel happier, even if your neighbours aren’t.