Of course, you’re familiar with the risks of listening to loud music all the time, but there’s just nothing that makes our heart tick like a pumping bass or a signing guitar. There’s a scientific reason why we prefer our music as loud as possible.

Self-medicating

This is why loud clubs and rock concerts make us so darn happy:

1. A song sounds better when it’s played loud

Most songs just sound way better when you also hear all the details in the background. Usually, being able to hear more details and picking up different sounds means the music sounds better. After all, that is how the artist created it – all little details included.

It’s also why many audio engineers have tinnitus. After years of wearing high-end headphones and blasting songs at an increased volume to make sure the mix is just right, they have permanent hearing damage.

2. Loud music relieves stress

The sacculus in our inner ear has a direct connection with the pleasure centers in the brain. It releases endorphins when stimulated by loud music. So listening to loud music is essentially self-medicating.

Frisson

3. Loud music is a stimulant

Ever noticed you run a little faster when you turn the music up while on the treadmill? It’s because loud music works like a stimulant -just like caffeine, cocaine, alcohol, and exercise. There’s a reason why almost everybody in the gym walks around wearing headphones.

4. Music invokes emotions

Ever had the chills when you heard your favorite song? That sensation is called ‘frisson’ and it happens when dopamine floods your body. People who react to music have strong connections between the part of the brain that interprets sound and the part that creates emotion.

Valorie Salimpoor, a neuroscientist at McGill University, has conducted research where the subject was hooked up to a fMRI machine while listening to music. It was shown that our brains release dopamine on peak moments in the song. And that’s not all. She also discovered that, when listening to songs we already know, the anticipation of peak moments triggered dopamine release as well. That’s exactly the thrill when standing in the club, waiting for the drop to come.

5. Loud music blocks out the world

Silly but true: when you need to focus on something, you turn down the volume. When you’re looking for a parking spot, for example. Loud music takes over the brain: it overwhelms the other senses in a way that is similar to alcohol or drugs. It becomes all-consuming. Sometimes, blocking out the world and just enjoying the emotions of the music is a much-needed experience.

Moderation is key

But, just like the rest in life: everything in moderation. Too much of a good thing can be dangerous, so take good care of those precious ears.