Music

Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to

create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or
otherwise expressive content.[1][2][3] Exact definitions of
music vary considerably around the world,[4] though it is an
aspect of all human societies, a cultural universal.[5] While
scholars agree that music is defined by a few specific elements,
there is no consensus on their precise definitions.[6] The
creation of music is commonly divided into musical
composition, musical improvisation and musical performance,
[7]
 though the topic itself extends into academic
disciplines, criticism, philosophy and psychology. Music may be
expressed using a vast range of instruments, including
the human voice.

Music is generally associated with the feeling of being calm. This is

because in the early days, humans were exposed bird’s singing. They
don’t sing if there is any sort of danger lurking around and this gives
us a feeling of security and calmness. Studies have also seen
musicians and regular music listeners to have lower Cortisol levels,
which means lesser stress and more calm.

Music also has a positive effect on your ability to memorize. This is

commonly found in young children who are exposed to musical
instruments show better academic performances. This is because the
brain is stimulated in order to improve memory.

Practising music, especially while sight reading sheet music, demands

a lot of hand-eye coordination. It also develops certain muscle
memory which improves motor skills and cognitive skills.

Hormones:
dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure and “reward” centers

stress hormones like cortisol

serotonin and other hormones related to immunity

oxytocin, a chemical that fosters the ability to connect to others

Certain PET and MRI scans by professionals have shown greater…

Music makes us happy. It helps overcome struggles. It moves us.

Music finds a way to connect on a deeper level, more than any other
art form. Music in the form of national anthems unite people.

Music helps re-live memories. It has a huge nostalgia factor. This

helps patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and other similar
conditions

Music therapy is commonly used for pain management.

Music improves our determination. This is it is so common in the

gym.

9 Health Benefits of Music

Music can improve mood, decrease pain and anxiety, and facilitate
opportunities for emotional expression. Research suggests that
music can benefit our physical and mental health in numerous ways.
Music therapy is used by our hospice and palliative care board-
certified music therapist to enhance conventional treatment for a
variety of illnesses and disease processes – from anxiety, depression
and stress, to the management of pain and enhancement of
functioning after degenerative neurologic disorders.
  It’s heart healthy. Research has shown that blood flows more
easily when music is played. It can also reduce heart rate, lower
blood pressure, decrease cortisol (stress hormone) levels and
increase serotonin and endorphin levels in the blood.
 It elevates mood. Music can boost the brain’s production of
the hormone dopamine. This increased dopamine production
helps relieve feelings of anxiety and depression. Music is
processed directly by the amygdala, which is the part of the
brain involved in mood and emotions.
 It reduces stress. Research has found that listening to music
can relieve stress by triggering biochemical stress reducers.
 It relieves symptoms of depression. When you’re feeling
down in the dumps, music can help pick you up - much like
exercise.
 It stimulates memories. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s
disease or dementia but music therapy has been shown to
relieve some of its symptoms. Music therapy can relax an
agitated patient, improve the mood and open communication
in patients.
 It manages pain. By reducing stress levels and providing a
strong competing stimulus to the pain signals that enter the
brain, music therapy can assist in pain management.
 It eases pain. Music can meaningfully reduce the perceived
intensity of pain, especially in geriatric care, intensive care or
palliative medicine.
 It helps people eat less. Playing soft music in the background
(and dimming the lights) during a meal can help people slow
down while eating and ultimately consume less food in one
sitting.
 It increases workout endurance. Listening to those top
workout tracks can boost physical performance and increase
endurance during a tough exercise session.

Music’s effects on the body

It can help your heart health

Music can make you want to move — and the benefits of dancing are well
documented. Scientists also know that listening to music can alterTrusted
Source your breath rate, your heart rate, and your blood pressure,
depending on the music’s intensity and tempo.

It decreases fatigue

Anyone who has ever rolled down car windows and turned up the radio
knows that music can be energizing. There’s solid science behind that lived
experience.

In 2015, researchersTrusted Source at Shanghai University found that

relaxing music helped reduce fatigue and maintain muscle endurance when
people were engaged in a repetitive task.

Music therapy sessions also lessened fatigue in people receiving cancer

treatments and raised the fatigue threshold for people engaged in
demanding neuromuscular training, which leads us to the next big benefit.

It boosts exercise performance

Exercise enthusiasts have long known that music enhances their physical

performance.

A 2020 research review confirms that working out with music improves your

mood, helps your body exercise more efficiently, and cuts down on your
awareness of exertion. Working out with music also leads to longer
workoutsTrusted Source.

In clinical settings, athletes who listened to high-intensity, fast music during

warmups were motivatedTrusted Source to perform better competitively.
You don’t have to be a world-class competitor to benefit: ResearchTrusted
Source shows that syncing your workout to music can allow you to reach
peak performance using less oxygen than if you did the same workout
without the beat. Music acts as a metronome in your body, researchers
said.

It can help manage pain

Specially trained music therapists use music to help alleviate pain in

inpatient and outpatient settings. A 2016 meta-analysisTrusted Source of
over 90 studies reported that music helps people manage both acute and
chronic pain better than medication alone.

music therapy
The American Music Therapy Association describes music therapy as the
use of music in hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehab clinics, nursing homes,
schools, correctional facilities, and substance use programs to help meet
the medical, physical, emotional, and cognitive needs of patients

The takeaway
Music exerts a powerful influence on human beings. It can boost memory,
build task endurance, lighten your mood, reduce anxiety and depression,
stave off fatigue, improve your response to pain, and help you work out
more effectively.

WHAT MUSIC IS THE BEST?

Turns out, whether it’s rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, hip-hop or classical,
your gray matter prefers the same music you do. “It depends on
your personal background,” Yonetani says. For a while,
 researchers believed that classical music increased brain
activity and made its listeners smarter,

MUSIC CAN…
 CHANGE YOUR ABILITY TO PRECEIVE TIME

 TAP INTO PRIMAL FEAR

 REDUCE SEIZURES

 MAKE YOU A BETTER COMMUNICATOR

 MAKE YOU STRONGER

 BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

 ASSIST IN REPAIRING BRAIN DAMAGE

 MAKE YOU SMARTER

 EVOKE MEMORIES

 HELP PARKINSON’S PATIENTS