If you have read through my “About Me” page, there is a small snipet in there about my love of music. Whenever I tell someone how much I love music, they usually concede that music is good. They say that everyone loves music. Really, people don’t grasp the seriousness of how deeply I love music to my very soul. There is a power to music that I truly believe you cannot attain through any other form of expression. If you want to argue that dance does, keep in mind dance (on the whole) involves some for a music. In dance, you are still using the rhythm and feeling of the music to help you express something with the movement of your body. If you let it, music can pierce you to the center of your being. It can help you admit and accept your emotions. It can bring you a sense of peace and serenity. Therefore, music can be a great way to help your physical and mental health. Below are some of these benefits. However, there is not a list long enough to express all the benefits of music.
Working Out
Studies have shown there is benefits in regard to performance and recovery. When listening to music during a workout, it tends to clear the mind of distractions. It can put you in a slight form of meditation. Opening your mind to give complete focus to the task at hand. There are even studies showing that when someone listens to music after working out that helps the body to relax and recover.
Stress
Music has shown the ability to decrease cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can affect stress, anxiety and stress related eating. So, not only can it help to lower your stress levels, but possibly help in weight loss with stress eating.
Mood Enhancer
Music can increase dopamine levels. The part of your brain that directly is involved with emotions, is the same part of your brain that processes music. It can help with anxiety and depression
Blood Flow
There are also studies that show a better blood flow when listening to music. Therefore, benefits have shown to be lowered blood pressure, reducing the heart rate, and having a healthier heart.
Stimulates Memories
There is such a thing as music therapy. It’s been used for people with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Obviously, there is no cure, and it will not have long term affect. However, to be able to give those people a measure of peace, familiarity, and comfort is a big deal to a confused mind.
Acceptance and Expression
Music gives people the ability to get more in touch with their emotions. Hearing others express emotions that we feel, brings a sense of acceptance. That it is okay that we have those feeling and deep emotions. On top of that, using music to express yourself is a release. Instead of holding those strong emotions in, you can fully express and release them. It is probably one of the healthiest ways to do it.
Management of Pain
When you reduce your stress levels helps with pain management. Introducing music as a competition to your brain sensors can help in distracting from the focus of pain you may be feeling. I mentioned it earlier, that music therapy is a real thing.
Weight Loss
I already mentioned the possibilities in weight loss by reducing stress eating. However, eating while playing music and relaxing yourself can help you to eat slower. It has been proven multiple times that if you eat slower, you eat less overall. It can help to prevent overeating.
Intelligence
There is specific science showing that listening to music can make you a better student and smarter. They actually took an MRI to see what happened to the brain when listening to music. There are multiple areas of the brain that light up (become active) while listening to the music.
Brain Function
There are neural pathways in your brain that affect every aspect of your body’s health. These pathways become weaker and weaker when they aren’t used. Music stimulates a majority of these pathways. The more they are stimulated the stronger they become, not only increases brain function but affecting so much of your overall health.
It is honestly miraculous how much music can really do for you mind and body. What other benefits have you seen in your life because of music? When is your favorite time to listen to music?
Mel's Health and Fitness 