The Importance of Music

Medical research has shown music to be an effective tool for therapy patients because of the effects it produces on the human body and psyche.  The field of music therapy relies on music to promote healing and well-being.  Those who practice and promote music therapy find the benefits of using music when treating cancer patients, ADHD youth and others.  Even hospitals are jumping on the bandwagon and using music to reach out to patients and help with pain management, stave off depression, promote movement and impart a sense of calmness.

 Music affects the human body and mind in some very powerful ways.  The following list outlines how music can benefit others in a medical setting:

·         Brain waves: music with a strong beat can stimulate brain waves to sync in time to the beat, the faster the beat the more sharper the contrast in brain wave activity.  Research has also found that a change in brain wave patterns can help the brain shift speeds more easily, which music produces long-term benefits to a person’s state of mind long after it has ended.

·         Breathing (respiration) and heart rate:  with alternations in the brain waves comes a change in the functions and awareness of the human body.  Governed by the central nervous system, things such as breathing and heart rate are noted by making changes to music a person is exposed to. Slower music directly results in a slowdown of heart and respiration rates. Music and music therapy can greatly benefit those who suffer from chronic stress; relaxation promotes a sense of well-being and makes a person feel better.

·         State of mind:  music can be used to create peace and a positive state of mind, keeping depression and anxiety away.  Music can help prevent the body from going into a stress response, which can wreak havoc on the entire body.

·         Other benefits: music therapy has also been found to impart many other benefits such as lowering blood pressure, boost the immune system, ease muscle tension, and many more. 

With the many proven benefits of music therapy, it is no surprise that researchers are now recognizing music for the important medical tool it is.  Music should never be discounted for the many beautiful things that can result from hearing a memorable and moving melody.  Loving music and appreciating the many wonderful things it can do for the body is growing in popularity and finally gaining the interest of medical professionals all over the world.

 

When you are listening to a popular tune on your car radio or home stereo and come across a song that truly speaks to your soul, how does it make you feel? Perhaps you are overcome with emotion as you sway gently to the music, finding yourself lost in thoughts of times gone by or perhaps you are reminiscing about your younger years. No matter what you are thinking, music means many things to many people. It can mean an emotional stirring as the singer reaches into your very heart and pulls the strings that bring overwhelming emotions to the surface.

Music is truly the tie that bind and brings out emotions we may have hidden or tried to deny. Some types of music bring about childhood memories, some people find it stirs up thoughts of a first dance or first kiss. Music can be a road to inner discovery and tap you into your inner subconscious on a level never before experienced. You can learn things about yourself you never knew before and when you hear that certain song perhaps it brings you a sense of peace, joy and inner harmony.

A certain type of music can be so intoxicating it sets the mood of the whole experience you are going through. Music is truly what bridges the world together and transcends culture, ethnicity, language and many other inane differences. When you find a tune that stirs your soul, you want to go out and share it with others and gauge how they react. You note their expression, their mood, their demeanor and how they respond. You want to see if the music that has taken over your being affects someone you love. In turn when you share music, you are inviting another person into your private world and letting them see a side of you that not many others may be able to see.

When sharing some of the most emotional parts of music, you are giving away a gift to someone else that they can never repay. Music is something that should be savored, enjoyed and shared, when you pass it along to others you are in essence spreading around and sharing joy with others. Music is a gift and you should never take it for granted, something that touches your heart and life so deeply should be treasured and cherished for a lifetime. It is a gift that costs nothing, but is priceless all at the same time.