Importance of Music in Health
It may seem random or even silly that of all medical prescriptions in the world, music, can positively impact health. However, it can carry its positive influence across cognitive, emotional, physical and social health.
Introduction
​Music is fun and creates many opportunities to grow into happy and healthy human beings. Many people struggle with hardships in their daily lives. These hardships can range from health problems to extreme stress in school or a workplace. Much research has been conducted and evidence has been produced demonstrating that music has many more benefits than one might think. Music’s healing properties ensure healthier futures for everyone and as well as being incredibly enjoyable to listen to and play, music can greatly impact social, emotional, physical and cognitive health and development.
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Music and Social Impacts
Music can impact social aspects of anyone’s life in many different ways. Music can bring people with many similarities together. Although it can showcase each musician’s individuality, this kind of inclusivity can result in making friends with your same interests and create a safe space for you and those around you. Music can also create a gateway to other cultures and minorities around the globe that many people may not have access to. This exposure can tear down harmful stereotypes and broaden a person’s perspective on them and the world around them. Embracing your individuality, while finding your community, making friends and embracing others leads to creating a more well rounded community.
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Music & Emotional Influence
Evidence from recent research shows that music can be and is used in many ways to help others suffering from stress, depression, anxiety and other chronic mental illnesses. Evidence states that many happy or joyful songs release endorphins (“happy hormones”) such as dopamine and serotonin resulting in less stress and more peace. Music also removes anxiety and provides solace by allowing the listener to hear a familiar sound in unfamiliar times of hardship. Another way to ease emotional turmoil is music therapy. Music therapy is an up and coming way to express, understand and overcome emotions the client might be dealing with. There are four main kinds of music therapy; however music therapy is not limited to only four categories. The first kind of music therapy is receptive music therapy. Receptive music therapy is where the therapist plays music for the patient to listen to or “receive” either on a recording or live. The listener then responds through words, their own musical creation or dance. This helps the listener understand, name, and express their emotions which can also lift their spirits. The second kind of music therapy is re-creational therapy. This kind of music therapy allows the listener to play or “re-create” the music they are listening to back to the therapist in any way they’d like. Recreational therapy also allows for self-expression and communication of emotions when sometimes words don’t do the trick. The next form of therapy is compositional music therapy. This is when the therapist and client work together to compose or write a piece of music, either instrument, acapella or both. This can help the expression of oneself and their emotions as well as a stronger communication between the therapist and client which allows the therapist to better suit their client’s needs. Lastly, is improvisational music therapy. This approach involves spontaneous song creation. The therapist helps interpret their patient’s current or chronic mood based on the sounds and lyrics of their song/s. This method asks the client to make choices, which aids a client who struggles with confidence, self-expression or indecisiveness.
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Music Cognitive Effects
Music also creates a positive cognitive effect on avid music listeners and players. Certain types of music can improve memory, and the ability to learn skills faster. The music does this by stimulating areas in the brain related to memory recall and learning new skills faster than usual. Memorizing songs and reading sheet music can positively affect other cognitive abilities such as memorization skills and concentration. The rhythm and melody of certain pieces of music can help focus attention on tasks that require concentration, such as reading or writing an essay. Inexperienced listeners can do this by simply memorizing and humming melodies or reading and memorizing the lyrics to the song. They can also try drumming out the beat safely on a surface or drum as well as learning an instrument. People who play an instrument can read the sheet music, use their ears to figure out the melody, play while singing and learn various parts of the song to improve their cognitive skills.
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Music & Physical Benefits
Physical aspects such as pain and healing are affected by music. As mentioned earlier, endorphins such as dopamine and serotonin are often released when listening to happy music or music the listener likes. Although this helps listeners feel happier, this can also aid the healing process of an injury. Low frequencies, specifically 0-200 Hz range can aid the production of necessary and beneficial chemicals—like collagen and decorin—that avert spinal disc degeneration and the pain that comes with it. Other vibration frequencies in the mid range such as 40 to 80 Hz can lessen lumbar pain and encourage increased mobility. Frequencies from 10 to 100 Hz can stimulate bone growth and hinder the start of osteoporosis. Other uses for music therapy in the physical or medical field are that it can help reduce pain levels, promote relaxation, improve communication skills, and provide comfort during difficult times, all which are skills needed in a hospital setting or when going through an injury or disease. One way music therapy can be used to reduce pain is through the use of rhythmic breathing techniques. These techniques include concentrating on a drum beat while taking slow deep breaths which helps relax the body and mind. This kind of exercise has been shown to decrease anxiety and lower heart rate as well as blood pressure which reduces overall pain levels. Some research suggests that certain types of musical intermediation may even have an analgesic effect due to the activation of endorphins which are natural pain relievers. There are also different colors of noises, such as white noise, which have been proven to aid sleep and concentration. There are also many studies being conducted of the benefits classical music has on diseases such as cancer.
Conclusion
In all, music’s healing properties ensure healthier futures for everyone. As well as being incredibly enjoyable to listen to and play, music can greatly impact social, emotional, physical and cognitive health and development. Music is an incredibly helpful and fun source to improve the quality of life in all human beings. From connecting to the world and those around you, to tapping into your individuality and innermost concept of identity. Both beginner musicians to music masters and everyone in between should have the ability to access, play, explore and have fun with instruments and music.