We use music as an expression of our feelings, in that context we have a music overdose every day. When we get sad, we listen to music to comfort us. If we’re happy, the same thing, joyful music is in order. Working? No problem, music has your back. Can’t leave behind working out to our favorite beat.
When words leave off, music begins. ~ Heinrich Heine.
It doesn’t matter the musical genre of your choice. Music is part of our everyday life. That’s the beauty of it, there are so many genres and so many artists in each genre that with certainty you will find a favorite. There is something for everybody.
So let’s explore why music causes this feel-good feeling on us.
Benefits of Music
“Music is a universal language. It transcends boundaries and reaches beyond culture to touch the depths of our souls, express our common emotions, and inspire us all.” says in Music Together.
5 benefits of how music helps our health, explained by Science of People:
- Improves Memory: Music and musical training have also been shown to protect the aging brain and keep it healthy.
- Better Workouts: Listening to music releases endorphins in the brain. Endorphins give us a heightened feeling of excitement. In addition to feeling euphoric, endorphins quell anxiety, ease pain and stabilize the immune system. With high endorphin levels, we have fewer negative effects of stress.
- Helps you Heal: Adding music to a standard rehabilitative process helps patients heal.
- Reduces Stress and Eases Anxiety: Both listening to and making music can alleviate mild and chronic stress.
- Sleep Quality: Sleep better, longer and with fewer disturbances by listening to music at bedtime.
Music in Our Early Years
Isn’t that something? Since we were babies we have been listening to music. Remember those nursery rhymes we use to sing? Or how we play and act on songs of our favorite cartoon. Music plays an active part in the learning process. It helps develop our brains. Carrie Friddell from the In Harmony Music of Middle Tennessee, says that using music to target four areas of brain development (Cognitive/Academic, Communication, Sensorimotor, and Social/Emotional) help support cognition and physical growth in children.
As you see music has a big impact on us starting in our childhood. And as we grow it stays embedded in our brains creating memories. Those memories associated with music are the ones that we called music nostalgia. When we get to our late teenage year music is fundamentally intertwined with our social lives, notes Daniel Levitin (aff link) in his book This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession. Perhaps because those are the years where we are discovering ourselves and our way to adulthood.
Every day more research on this topic is being carried out, as it is fascinating the association that music has in our development, in the making of memories and to how it could even mold our character. At the end of the day, we enjoy listening to music because it makes us feel better. The music itself won’t make us smarter, but it will enhance the understanding of ourselves.
Is important to note that learning to play an instrument will benefit us to create skills that will result useful throughout our lives. It engages our brain to work faster and harder, resulting in better performance. Check this TED-Ed Original: How playing an instrument benefits your brain – Anita Collins.
I love to listen to music while doing things around the house, or like right now as I am typing this words. I’m listening to my favorite band, Oasis. Yes, from my teenage years.
What band or artist (solo) is your favorite? Let me know in the comments and remember you can subscribe to my blog.
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