The Healing Power of Music
A lot of us can’t imagine life without a soundtrack. It can uplift us and help us connect to one another. But what exactly is happening in your brain when you listen to your favorite tunes?
The origins of music
Ever stopped to wonder how long humans have been indulging in music? It’s hard to say, however, in 2009, scientists unearthed four flutes from the Paleolithic age in a remote cave in south-west Germany. These ingenious instruments, believed to be around 40,000 years old, were fashioned from the wing bone of a vulture and ivory mammoth tusks, and were able to reproduce a range of tonal differences. So it’s fair to say that as a species, music has been an integral part of our existence for an incredibly long time.
What happens to the brain when we listen to music?
MRI scans have revealed the areas of the brain that engage when we listen to music. Firstly, your auditory cortex is activated, which is the area that controls sound processing. Other parts of the brain are also stimulated, including the motor cortex, which is responsible for movement, and the limbic system, which regulates our emotional response.
What effects does it have?
We know that listening to music engages various parts of the brain, but what impact does this have on us?
Mental health
One of the most significant and celebrated effects of music on the brain is the proven ability to ease the symptoms of a variety of mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression. When we listen to music, it triggers our brains to release various neurochemicals that are associated with optimal brain function and improved mental health, including:
Dopamine - which is linked to our pleasure and reward centers
Serotonin - which boosts our immunity
Oxytocin - which helps us to connect to one another
Additionally, one study showed that when listening to music the brain releases reduced levels of cortisol (the stress hormone). Similarly, it revealed that listening to calming music after a stressful event can help our nervous systems to recover more quickly.
Researchers have even discovered that music can also have therapeutic effects and improve the quality of life of those suffering from schizophrenia.
Memory and cognitive performance
If that wasn’t enough, music can also have positive effects on our memory recall, and our brains’ ability to perform at its best.
Listening to classical music has been shown to improve our ability to execute memory-related tasks in one study, compared to those who worked in silence.
Another study in 2010 that tasked participants to engage in spatial and linguistic processing tasks whilst listening to Mozart revealed that our cognitive function can be enhanced with a soundtrack.
It can also help to slow cognitive decline in the long term, and interestingly, aid those with mild or moderate dementia to recall key moments within their lives that they were otherwise unable to.
The universal language of music can work wonders on the health and performance of our brains. Want to take it one step further? Learning to play a new instrument not only allows you to create your own music, but it also gives your brain an incredibly beneficial workout, no matter your age.
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