Music has always been part of our lives. Whether you are on your way to attend to a chore or you are just lounging at a café in your city, it’s always there to accompany you. With an array of genres, it is nearly impossible to not pick which type of music is for you.
It is one of the ways you can express yourself by creating melodies or just simply listening to them. Music also connects people. There are also other people who enjoy an artist or group’s music just as you do. This fostering of connection is easier nowadays due to the rise of different social media platforms.
Speaking of accessibility, music has also been easier to acquire nowadays because of the emergence of different streaming platforms. Unlike before, you will need certain types of equipment—like a cassette player or even a record player—just to listen to your favorite songs.
As much as music is an avenue for self-expression that connects people and brings entertainment, did you know that it also has some benefits to your brain? Countless research has been created that discusses the different effects of music on your brain. This is where the arts and sciences meet.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, music is one of the ways you can exercise your mind as it stimulates the brain in several ways. With that said, here are some ways how music affects your brain.
Affects mood and perception
It is given that whatever music you listen to, you will feel that emotion conveyed in the song. But did you know that it can also affect how you view your surroundings?
CNN Health states that a study from 2011 determines that music can affect a person’s perception. The research test involves a group of students wherein they are tasked to listen to both happy and sad songs. Happy faces were frequently spotted when they listened to happy songs and vice versa. This is due to the sensory stimuli affecting the state of mind of the test subjects.
Recalls memories
Memories are sometimes bittersweet. You might have dedicated a song to a now ex-lover and swore to never listen to it again. Until one day, you suddenly hear it out of nowhere, and all the memories come flooding back to you.
The brain has this fascinating way of associating someone or an event with music. With regards to this, many have cited the documentary Alive Inside, which focuses on a social worker named Dan Cohen. To simply put it, the documentary revolves around Cohen and how music affected the memories of those with dementia in nursing homes.
Influences productivity
Music also affects your productivity. Though, it solely depends on how it is utilized.
An article from CNN Health supports this claim, stating that listening to music while working is both beneficial and detrimental as the task at hand should be considered. It is beneficial in a way that it can boost your mood when work feels slow or even repetitive. However, it is also detrimental because it can distract you from completing complex tasks.
Relieves stress and pain
Imagine going home on a Friday night. The week has been stressful due to some circumstances. You finally have time to unwind because it is the weekend. To get started, you play some tunes that you feel like listening to at the moment. It might not be much, but it is your way of winding down.
It is proven that listening to music is one of the ways you can ease your stress. Music is said to lower the heart rate and distracts the mind from different stress-triggering events. It also releases endorphins, also called “the happy hormones” as it relieves pain and stress.
Enhances immune system
It may come to some of you as a surprise, but it is proven that music also can enhance your immune system.
The American Psychological Association shared that playing and listening to music can increase the production of immunoglobulin A, an antibody in your immune system. This antibody is responsible for keeping bacteria and viruses from harming your body.
Eases seizures
Even though music is one of the causes of epileptic seizures, it can also be a tool to help ease this illness but with a certain type of music, of course.
For instance, Mozart’s music could be used to treat people with epilepsy. It is called the “Mozart Effect,” which means your spatial intelligence will most likely increase when you listen to Mozart and other classical compositions.
Overall, music not only brings you entertainment but also enhances your well-being. It is fascinating that something intangible can have a positive effect in different aspects. With that, it is time to sit back, relax, and listen to some tunes.
