Music & Healing: How Music Affects Your Well-Being

Isn’t it bizarre how hearing a certain song can bring back a special memory or leave you feeling something profound? People are born with the ability to tell the difference between music and noise.

Over millions of years of evolution, our brains have developed different pathways for processing different parts of music including pitch, melody, rhythm, and tempo. And, fast music can actually increase your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure, while slower music tends to have the opposite effect; calming you down, and even leaving you with a certain melancholy.

The mere fact that music has such a profound effect on us is something to be celebrated and admired, and makes up a big part of what we as humans love so very much about music itself!

While the effects of music on people are not fully understood, studies have shown that when you hear music to your liking, the brain actually releases a chemical called dopamine that has positive effects on mood.

Music can make us feel strong emotions, such as joy, sadness, or fearsome will agree that it has the power to move us. According to some researchers, music may even have the power to improve our health and well-being.

Though more studies are needed to confirm the potential health benefits of music, some studies suggest that listening to music can have the following positive effects on health. Let's take a look at a few of the benefits...

 

Positive mindset and mood!

Studies show that listening to music can benefit overall well-being, help regulate emotions, and create happiness and relaxation in everyday life.

 

Reduces stress 

Listening to ‘relaxing’ music (generally considered to have slow tempo, low pitch, and no lyrics) has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety in healthy people and in people undergoing medical procedures (e.g., surgery, dental, colonoscopy).

 

Decreases anxiety

In studies of people with cancer, listening to music combined with standard care reduced anxiety compared to those who received standard care alone.

 

Greater motivation to exercise!

Studies suggest that music can enhance the aerobic exercise, boost mental and physical stimulation, and increase overall performance.

 

Increased retention

Research has shown that the repetitive elements of rhythm and melody help our brains form patterns that enhance memory. In a study of stroke survivors, listening to music helped them experience more verbal memory, less confusion, and better-focused attention.

 

Decreases pain

In studies of patients recovering from surgery, those who listened to music before, during, or after surgery had less pain and more overall satisfaction compared with patients who did not listen to music as part of their care.

 

Music; the great comforter!

Music therapy has also been used to help enhance communication, coping, and expression of feelings such as fear, loneliness, and anger in patients who have a serious illness, and who are in end-of-life care.

 

Improved cognitive ability

Listening to music can also help people with Alzheimer’s recall seemingly lost memories and even help maintain some mental abilities.

 

Soothing effect on children and infants

 Live music and lullabies may impact vital signs, improve feeding behaviours and sucking patterns in premature infants, and may increase prolonged periods of quiet–alert states.

 

If you want to experience one of the wide-ranging health benefits of learning to play a musical instrument, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the tuition team at Music Mart today!