May Is for Movement, Music, and Mental Health Awareness

May 6, 2025|Natalie Harrison

Updated: November 2025

How self-care rituals, creative expression, and joyful movement support your mental wellness journey

May is here, and we're turning up the volume on something that matters just as much as healthy hair: your mental wellbeing.

At Kiri10, we know that looking after yourself goes way beyond good hair days. It's about joy, creativity, and doing the small things that make you feel genuinely like you.

This May, during Mental Health Awareness Month, we're celebrating the power of music, movement, and self-expression, and how they work together to support your overall wellbeing.

Because here's the truth: your haircare ritual is more than just a routine. It's a moment to pause, breathe, and reconnect with yourself.

And when you add music, movement, and intention to that ritual? That's when real transformation happens.

The Science: Why Music and Movement Matter for Your Mental Health

Singing Reduces Stress and Boosts Mood

According to Harvard Health, group singing has been shown to lower cortisol levels and increase endorphins (your body's natural feel-good chemicals).

What happens when you sing:

Vocal vibration stimulates the vagus nerve, activating your parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" mode)

This directly lowers stress hormones like cortisol

Endorphin release creates natural mood elevation

Social connection (whether in-person or online) amplifies these benefits

The result:

Singing isn't just pleasurable, it's actively therapeutic

Even 10 minutes of singing can shift your nervous system state

Solo singing in the shower or car works. Group singing amplifies the effect

Movement and Dance Support Mental Resilience

A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that regular dancing improves mood, body image, and reduces symptoms of depression.

The dance-mental health connection:

Movement releases endorphins and reduces stress hormones

Dance specifically improves body image and self-confidence

Regular movement supports neuroplasticity (your brain's ability to adapt and heal)

Social dancing combines music, movement, and connection (triple benefit)

Why it works:

Unlike exercise that feels like work, dance feels like play

Your body recognises joy and responds with healing

Creativity involved in movement activates different brain regions than structured exercise

Music Helps Regulate Emotions

Whether you're vibing to a playlist while washing your hair or belting it out in the shower, music helps us process feelings and release tension.

How music supports emotional regulation:

Music activates multiple brain regions simultaneously

It provides structure and rhythm, helping your nervous system self-regulate

Lyrics and melody can help you process complex emotions

Listening to preferred music lowers blood pressure and heart rate

The ritual power:

Pairing self-care (like your Kiri10 haircare routine) with music creates a powerful anchor

This becomes a reliable tool for emotional support

Over time, the ritual itself (even without music) triggers the calming response

The Kiri10 Approach: Self-Care as Mental Health Support

Beyond the Physical: Self-Care as Ritual

At Kiri10, we understand that self-care isn't vanity. It's an act of self-love and mental health support.

Why Functional Keratin™ supports wellbeing:

When your hair feels strong and healthy, your confidence naturally increases

This isn't superficial, it's neurological

Improved self-image correlates directly with improved mental health

Taking time for a meaningful haircare ritual signals to your nervous system that you're worth caring for

Creating Your Feel-Good Ritual

Your Kiri10 haircare moment can become so much more than a routine.

Transform it into a mental health practice:

Choose your music deliberately:
Create a playlist that makes you feel alive

Upbeat for energising mornings

Calming for grounding evening rituals

Whatever makes you feel like yourself

Engage your body:
Gentle scalp massage while shampooing activates relaxation

Sing, hum, or sway while conditioning

Turn it into a mini-dance party with your serum application

The point is presence and joy, not perfection

Create intention:
This isn't rushed. This is your time

Use it to release what you're carrying

Set an intention for how you want to feel

Notice how strong, healthy hair feels on your scalp and how that impacts your confidence

The Triple Impact: Hair Health Plus Mental Wellness

When you combine Functional Keratin™ supplementation with a mindful, musical haircare ritual, something remarkable happens.

Level 1: Physical Health
Functional Keratin™ delivers 43% hair loss reduction within 60 days

Your hair becomes stronger, healthier, and more resilient

This creates tangible physical improvement

Level 2: Confidence and Self-Image
Improved hair health directly boosts self-confidence

When you look in the mirror and see healthy, strong hair, your nervous system recognises this as positive

This confidence extends into all areas of your life

Level 3: Ritual and Mental Health
The daily practice of caring for yourself becomes an anchor

Music and movement during this ritual multiply the mental health benefits

Over time, this becomes a reliable self-regulation tool

The result: Not just healthy hair, but genuine wellbeing transformation

Join the Movement: How You Can Participate This May

The KiriOke Movement

We're inviting you to join us in celebrating music, movement, and mental health this May.

Here's how:

Film yourself:
Create a short video (30 seconds to 2 minutes) of yourself singing or dancing during your Kiri10 haircare ritual

Tag us:
Post on Instagram or TikTok and tag@kiri10nz

Use hashtag #KiriOke

Share your story:
What does this ritual mean to you?

How does music or movement support your mental health?

Spread joy:
We'll be resharing your content throughout May, celebrating your creativity and authenticity

Give Back: Community-Chosen Donations

This May, we're putting the power in your hands.

How it works:

Throughout May, comment on our posts with a mental health charity you'd love us to support

The charity must be actively supporting, educating, or providing resources for mental health

At the end of May, we'll donate to one of the organisations nominated by our community

Why this matters:

Mental health support is a community effort

By letting you choose where our donation goes, we ensure it reaches organisations your community cares about

Together, we're amplifying mental health awareness and support

Mental Health Resources and Support

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, know that support is available.

Crisis support (New Zealand):

1737 Lifeline Aotearoa - Free call or text 1737 anytime

Samaritans - Available 24/7

Like Minds Like Mine - Mental health stigma reduction

Ongoing support:

Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand - Resources and information

Depression and Anxiety New Zealand - Community support networks

Meha Health - Digital mental health platform

Reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Your Kiri10 Self-Care Ritual: A Mental Health Practice

The Complete May Ritual

Internal support (Daily):
Take your Functional Keratin™ supplement each morning with intention

Notice how this daily act of self-care sets your mental state

Shower/Bath ritual (Your choice of frequency):
Turn up your favourite music

Apply your Kiri10 shampoo with intention and gratitude

Massage your scalp mindfully, feeling the stress releasing

Sing or hum while conditioning

Apply your serum with gratitude for your healthy hair

Dance a little if the mood strikes

Post-ritual:
Spend a moment looking in the mirror

Notice the strength and shine in your hair

Notice how you feel in your body

Recognise this moment as part of your mental health practice

Why This Works

This isn't just a haircare routine. It's a daily practice in self-love and mental wellness.

The neuroscience:

Repetition creates neural pathways that support wellbeing

Combining multiple senses (touch, hearing, sight) activates deeper brain regions

Music and movement engage the reward system in your brain

Physical self-care signals to your nervous system that you're safe and valued

The result:

Over weeks and months, this ritual becomes your go-to tool for self-regulation

When stress hits, this familiar practice grounds you

Healthy hair becomes a visual reminder of your commitment to yourself

References and Further Reading

Group Singing and Mental Health - Harvard Health - Research on stress reduction and endorphins
Music and Cortisol - American Psychological Association - Scientific evidence on music's mental health benefits
Dancing and Depression - Frontiers in Psychology - Study on dance's impact on mood and body image
Movement and Mental Resilience - PMC - Research on physical movement supporting mental health
Music and Emotion Regulation - Journal of Music Therapy - Evidence on music's role in emotional support
Effect of keraGEN IV Keratin Oral Supplementation - Lincoln Agritech - Clinical study showing 43% hair loss reduction
KiriGlow Keratin Supplement - Kiri10 - Functional Keratin™ supplement for hair and wellbeing
1737 Lifeline Aotearoa - Mental Health Crisis Support - Free mental health support line
Mental Health Foundation New Zealand - Mental health resources and information

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Self-care is evidence-based mental health support. When you prioritise self-care, you're signalling to your nervous system that you're worth caring for, which directly impacts mental wellbeing. The key is consistency and genuine intention.

Daily is ideal for maximum benefit. However, even 2-3 times weekly provides significant mental health support. The consistency matters more than perfection.

Not really. What matters is that the music resonates with you and makes you feel how you want to feel. Upbeat for energy, calming for grounding, whatever serves you. Your preference is the science.

Indirectly, yes. Functional Keratin™ improves hair health dramatically (43% hair loss reduction within 60 days). This tangible improvement boosts confidence and self-image, which directly supports mental wellbeing.

No pressure. The goal is joyful self-care, not performance. Gentle movement, humming, or simply being present with music counts. Adapt the ritual to what feels genuine for you.

Scalp massage activates the vagus nerve, which calms your nervous system. This direct physical effect reduces stress and promotes relaxation. Even 2-3 minutes during shampooing provides measurable benefit.

Never. Whether you're 18 or 80, starting a self-care practice today creates benefits immediately. Your nervous system responds quickly to new patterns of self-love.

Absolutely. In fact, creative expression is powerful mental health support. Sharing your authentic self (even the vulnerable parts) creates connection and helps destigmatise mental health struggles.

Start with what you can. The ritual works with any haircare, though Functional Keratin™ dramatically enhances results. The mental health benefit comes from the practice itself, not just the products.

Notice the small things. Better sleep, slightly more energy, moments of genuine joy, less anxiety, feeling more like yourself. Mental health improvement is often subtle and builds over time. Trust the process.