ENTERTAINMENT AS AN ESCAPE

 

Studies show that listening to music, especially high-frequency sounds, can lower stress hormones like cortisol and boost oxytocin, the hormone linked to comfort and bonding, leading to a calming effect.

Ageh Success Chidera 

Ever asked yourself why, when you are stressed or going through something, you tend to reach for music? Why do you suddenly want to drop that assignment, plug in your earpiece, and lose yourself in the melody of a song? Or why Lola, who just went through a breakup, wants nothing more than to curl up in bed, switch off the lights, and soak in her pain while listening to one of those melancholic Billie Eilish tracks, or maybe turn to movies that help her forget what is happening around her?

Now, picture this, after hours of lectures, endless deadlines, and the daily grind of school, many of us crave just a little something to distract our minds from all the pressure. Imagine attending classes from 8 a.m. until late in the evening, with barely any time for personal activities. Add extracurricular meetings on top of that, when exactly is one supposed to breathe, let alone relax? That is where entertainment steps in. Music blasting through our headphones, movies that transport us into another world, or football matches that make us scream with joy or frustration even for a short while, these moments pull us away from our worries.

Now, let us imagine life without these little pleasures, no songs to cry to, no comedies to make us laugh, no games to shout over. It would feel unbearably heavy, wouldn’t it?

The truth is, entertainment is no longer just about fun. It has become an escape route, a safe space where people retreat from the weight of reality. For years, people have turned to entertainment as a way to pause, to heal, and to gather strength to keep moving forward. It is, in many ways, our present-day paracetamol. Someone drained from the day’s activities might find themselves tuning to a Bollywood or Hollywood channel, not necessarily to watch attentively, but just to feel the comfort of being carried away from responsibility, even for a moment.

Science even supports this. Studies show that listening to music, especially high-frequency sounds, can lower stress hormones like cortisol and boost oxytocin, the hormone linked to comfort and bonding, leading to a calming effect.

Entertainment, then, is not a luxury. It’s a lifeline.

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