How does music affect the human brain and body?

Music Benefits?

Virtually everyone can relate to jamming out to their favorite song and feeling a deep sense of joy. What do researchers say about how it affects the human brain and body? Are there really music benefits?

1. Human Connection

It’s something we’ve seen time and time again: music has the potential to unite people. Whether at a baseball game listening to the Star-Spangled Banner or jamming out in the front row listening to a rock band, music promotes a feeling of connection. In fact, researchers believe that one of music’s most important functions is to create a feeling of cohesion or social connectedness.

2. Mental Health

Considering how deeply many people connect to pieces of music, it likely comes as no surprise that music has been proven to improve our mood. A 2011 study from McGill University found that listening to music increases the amount of dopamine produced in the brain – a mood-enhancing chemical. This finding poses the question: Could music have a role in treating depression?

3. Reducing Pain and Anxiety

Oftentimes, people listen to certain types of music to help them relax or meditate. Does it have a role in reducing anxiety and even pain? Researchers from Brunel University surveyed more than 7,000 patients who recently had surgery and found that those who played music after their procedure reported feeling less pain and anxiety than those who did not listen to music, they were also less likely to need pain medication. This effect was even stronger for patients who had the freedom to choose the music they listened to.

4. Heart Health and Exercise

Beyond its many benefits to mental health, music has also been tied to improving one’s physical health. Scientists have correlated it to improved heart health. It promotes exercise, can help lower blood pressure, and lower one’s heart rate. Not only does it promote workouts, but listening to music has been proven to even extend workouts and increase motivation.

5. Stress Relief

A 2013 study found that listening to music reduced stress even independent of social factors for children at the Great Ormond Street Hospital. Researchers believe that it may help alleviate stress by lowering the body’s cortisol levels – the hormone released in response to stress. However, it’s important to note that musical tempo had a major impact, citing that slower tempos helped to reduce stress while faster tempos in some cases actually increased stress.

6. Improved Learning

Listening to music has been proven to stimulate and engage the brain. In a 2019 study, people were more motivated to learn when they expected to listen to a song as their reward. However, it should be noted that listening to a song with lyrics while studying has also been shown to have a negative impact on a student’s learning.

7. Memory

Lastly, music also has been correlated with enhancing your memory. In one study, researchers gave people simple tasks that required them to read and then recall short lists of words. Those who were listening to classical music outperformed those who worked in silence or with white noise. The same study tracked how fast people could perform simple processing tasks and found that listening to Mozart helped people complete the task faster and more accurately. While music doesn’t reverse the memory loss experienced by people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, music has also been found to slow cognitive decline, helping people with mild or moderate dementia remember episodes from their lives.

What amazing music benefits!

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Information Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-music#cognitive-benefits

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/302903#Helping-recover-brain-injury,-treat-seizures