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Therapeutic Benefits of Music
A simple and efficient method to lift your spirits is to listen to music. It does more than that, though. It's becoming more and more obvious that music has many advantages beyond just elevating your mood. Research shows that music has deeply profound effects on the human body and psyche. In fact, there’s an emerging area of healthcare known as music therapy that uses music to heal.
People practicing music therapy have found that it can help children with attention deficit concerns and others. Music therapy is even being used in certain healthcare facilities to assist patients relax, regulate and improve mental health and well-being, facilitate movement, and reduce pain and tension. To learn about the many powerful benefits of music and how it positively affects the body and mind, keep reading.
Brain Waves
Strong-beat music has been shown to cause the brainwaves to synchronize with the beat. While slow tempos encourage a serene and meditative mood, faster beats provide greater attentiveness and sharper attention skills.
Studies have shown that music can also alter brainwave activity levels in intriguing ways. Long after you've stopped listening, music continues to improve your mood.
Breath and Heart Rate
Music results in bodily changes, specifically those controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Music has the power to affect breathing and heart rate. Slower breathing and a slower heart rate helps to activate a relaxation response in the body.
State of Mind
Music can also promote a positive state of mind. Uplifting musical compositions and the positive or cathartic messages conveyed via lyrics can help improve the mental state of an individual as well.
An overall positive state of mind, in turn, helps prevent the stress response from negative effects to the human body. It also improves optimism levels and creativity which result in a host of other benefits.
Other Benefits
Along with the benefits mentioned above, it has been found that music boosts immunity, lowers blood pressure (which can reduce risk of stroke), eases muscle tension, and more.
With all of these profound physical effects and benefits, it isn't surprising that the role of music as a tool for bodily health is being increasingly recognized.
Using Music on Your Own to Improve Health
Music therapy is an important discipline. You can listen to music on your own, at any time, to derive many wonderful benefits from it. It’s probably something you’ve been doing since you were a teenager, but as you age, incorporating music into your daily life is even more important. Whether it's putting on your favorite playlist to dissolve the stress of the week, dealing with traffic woes during a long drive or staying motivated while exercising, listening to music is the solution for relaxation, energy, and catharsis.