Power of Music

Power of Music

Ashim Kumar Paul

Music is powerful. Don’t just turn it on in the background. Listen to it. We listen to music but sometimes do not realise it. In fact, music is one of the few activities that entails to use the whole brain. Undoubtedly, listening to your favourite music can at once put you in a good mood. But many studies illustrate that music can bring about more for you than just boost your spirits.

Effective therapy for pain

Music has positive effects on reducing pain. Music listening can be a best remedy to lessen chronic pain from a range of painful conditions, including osteoarthritis, disc problems and rheumatoid arthritis, according to a scientific research paper in the UK-based Journal. Music therapy is, thus, increasingly applied in hospitals to trim down the need for medication during childbirth, to reduce postoperative pain and complement the use of anesthesia during surgery. There are several theories about how music positively affects perceived pain:

- Music serves as a distractor
- Music may give the patient a sense of control
- Music causes the body to release endorphins to counteract pain
- Slow music relaxes person by slowing their breathing and heartbeat

Reducing blood pressure

People who listened to music have less anxiety. Thus, by playing recordings of relaxing music every morning and evening, people with high blood pressure can lower their blood pressure and keep it low. According to a recently published research reports that those who listen to just 30 minutes of classical, Celtic or raga music every day can considerably bring high blood pressure down.

Medication for the heart

Studies have shown that music therapy can have positive effects on the heart, namely by decreasing sympathetic nervous activity. Other reports have shown that the positive emotions aroused by happy, joyful music can have favourable effects on the endothelium. Music is, indeed, good for your heart. A research shows that it is musical tempo, rather than style. Some researchers recruited young men and women, half of whom were trained musicians. The participants slipped on head phones and listened to six styles of music, including rap and classical pieces, with random two-minute pauses. When the participants kicked back and listened, the researchers monitored their breathing, heart rates and blood pressure. The participants had faster heart and breathing rates when they listened to lively music. When the musical slowed, so did their heart and breathing rates. Some results were surprising. During the musical pauses, heart and breathing rates normalised or reached more optimal levels. Whether or not a person liked the style of music did not matter. The tempo, or pace, of the music had the greatest effect on relaxation.

Speedy Post-Stroke Recovery

If one listens to a daily dose of his favourite pop melodies, classical music or jazz, the daily dose can zip recovery from debilitating strokes, according to a latest research. When stroke patients listened to music for a couple of hours each day, verbal memory and attention span improved significantly compared to patients who received no musical stimulation, or who listened only to stories read out aloud.

Remedy for Chronic headaches & migraine

Music listening can be helpful for those who suffer from migraine and chronic headache. It helps the sufferers trim down the intensity, frequency, and duration of the headaches.

Boosting immunity

Music can enhance the immune function. Scientists expound that a particular type of music can generate a positive and profound emotional experience that leads to secretion of immune-boosting hormones. This helps contribute to a reduction in the factors responsible for illness. Listening to music or singing can also lessen levels of stress-related hormone cortisol. Higher levels of cortisol can lead to a decreased immune response.


Enhancing IQ

The idea that music makes you smarter received considerable attention from scientists and the people. Researches confirm that listening to music or playing an instrument can actually make you learn better.   

Improving memory performance

The power of music to have an effect on memory is quite intriguing. It has been suggested that Mozart's music may have beneficial effects on the performance of cognitive tasks in humans that activates the left and right brain. The simultaneous left and right brain action maximises learning and retention of information.

Enhancement of concentration and attention

Easy listening music or relaxing classics has the positive effect to improve the duration and intensity of concentration in all age groups and ability levels. Although it is not clear what type of music is better, or what kind of musical structure is necessary to help, many studies have shown significant effects.

Improvement of body movement and coordination

Muscle tension can be lessened and body movement and coordination improved by music listening. It is music that may play an important role in developing, maintaining and restoring physical functioning in the rehabilitation of persons with movement disorders.