We all have our playlist of favorite tunes that seem to instantly put us into a good mood, right? What if that good mood could result in better health over a long period of time? No wonder we seem to play our favorite songs over, and over, and over again.
Music does much more than put a smile on our face and a pep in our step, and we've uncovered how you can change your health with a little “do-re-mi” in 4 easy steps.
Improve Cognition With Musical Memory
Do you have a song that reminds you of a certain time in your life? You’re not alone; even patients with severe brain damage and memory loss can access the vaults of their memories with songs they know. Listening to music is like exercising the brain, and the brain remembers these patterns when they are useful. Even though grandma listens to oldies you may not be so fond of, she’s also strengthening her brain’s ability to store memories and access them again.
Simple Tip: Find a song that reminds you of being a child or teenager. Listen to it a couple times a week, focusing on the memories it brings up for you. Your brain is actively utilizing this capability every time you sing along and tap your toes.
Smile and Stay Healthy
Upbeat, peppy songs are easy to smile to; positive lyrics speak to us on a deep level. “Happy,” by Pharrell, is a perfect example of a contagious, optimistic tune. Smiling, and feeling good in general, boosts the immune system function and relaxes tense nerves and muscles in the body. The body moves from reactionary (fight or flight) to de-actionary (relaxation), freeing up space for healing and cell functioning in the body.
When you listen to your favorite songs, endorphins flood the system and increase blood flow. Anxiety and stress can be alleviated in less than 20 minutes with your favorite genre of music!
Simple Tip: Find your favorite songs that make you smile, laugh, and sing along. If you’re having a stressful day, listen to a few of them and feel the release.
Blood Pressure, Pain Be Gone!
Believe it or not, music can even communicate to your cardiovascular and nervous systems. Classical or Celtic music was used with an American Society of Hypertension study to determine how effective it was against high blood pressure. Those who listened to music experienced an ability to train their blood pressure to drop once the music has begun. Similarly to relaxing the cardiovascular system, the load on the heart was lessened dramatically.
Chronic pain troubles us all, and music has a bone to pick with it. The Journal of Advanced Nursing reported that simply listening to music removed over 21% of painful symptoms from arthritis and back pain.
Depression sufferers got an even larger boost, experiencing a 25% decrease in symptoms after listening to music.
Simple Tip: Feeling uncomfortable? Find a soothing, slightly upbeat, song to sink into and melt away the pain. Stressful moments can be extinguished with your favorite jazz song.
Meditation Station with New Age
Struggling to find the time to meditate and achieve a greater sense of mindfulness? New Age music is more than unique instruments, structurally diverse compositions, and chanting-- it’s perfect for when you’re needing a bit more tranquility! New Age music is the perfect balance of calming nature sounds, grounding low tones of bass, and brain hugging electronic pitches to encourage a relaxed body with a focused mind. Slow dubstep music has also been reported to benefit those meditating, practicing yoga, and even completing a tough assignment or project.
Tranquility and bliss will be your new favorite ways to describe your meditation when New Age music flows through your headphones.
Simple Tip: Settle in with a new age song that is the length of your meditation, but never use the same song twice in a row. You’ll anticipate the ending of your session, removing the relaxation benefit.
How has music been a part of your life? Do you think listening to music has affected your health in a positive way? Share your stories and start the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the hashtags #rylwellnesswednesday and #roswellyogalife!