7 ways music boosts your well-being

Be it the weekend or the end of a stressful day, at some point you’ll probably relax to music or watch a film with a catchy soundtrack. There’s no doubt that jamming to your favourite tracks can instantly elevate a grouchy mood, but scientists are now discovering that music can do more for you than just uplift your spirits. Research shows it has a variety of health benefits. As compiled by Men’s Fitness magazine, healthline.com, apa.org and dailymail.co.uk, learn how tunes help you find mind-body harmony.

Helps overcome insomnia



Light music can be exceptionally helpful to facilitate a good snooze if you’re suffering from unceasing insomnia or just having trouble falling asleep one particular night. Music proved to be an effective method for helping adults catch some doze-off time, according to a study published in the journal Holistic Nursing Practice. For going to sleep, you’ll want to choose leisurely numbers, light piano tunes or classical music, says Shara Sand, PhD, associate professor of psychology at LaGuardia Community College, in Long Island City, New York. Next time you find yourself twisting and turning in bed, turn your favourite ghazal on.

Changes your mood



When you listen to music, the body goes through a process called entrainment, which involves matching the rhythm of music to our internal rhythm, or heartbeat, which helps you get out of the doldrums instantly. “It’s possible to shift or change one’s mood based on the music one listens to,” says Sand.

Don’t make too dramatic a shift in tempo from the mood you’re in, she advises. “If you’re really hyped up and want to relax, you can’t put on something twice as slow as you are because it won’t feel good,” notes Sand. Altering a mood using music is like tapering off drugs, she says. But when you’re down, listening to a song called “Happy” by Pharrell Williams or the Rolling Stones should flip the switch to put you in a better state of mind.

Reduces stress



Music is healing because there’s something about its vibration that restores a certain kind of balance. “Playing music can lower amounts of the cortisol stress hormone,” notes Julie Jaffee Nagel, PhD, author of the book Melodies of the Mind. Music therapy can help treat depression, agitation and anxiety, according to a report published in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry. It’s a known fact that we often block out troubling thoughts or situations we’d rather not deal with. “Music can help you work through some problems, issues or things you’re thinking about just by listening to it,” says Nagel. “People avoid processing emotions,” she says. “When you do process it, a huge weight is taken off.” So when you’re feeling cranky in the car, try cranking up some of your favourite tunes.

Reduces chronic back pain



Music works on the autonomic nervous system, the part of the nervous system responsible for controlling blood pressure, heartbeat and brain function — and also the limbic system, the part of the brain that controls feelings and emotions. According to research, both these systems react sensitively to music. When slow rhythms are played, blood pressure and heartbeat slow down which helps us breathe more slowly, thus, reducing muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, stomach and back. A new study published in The Vienna Medical Weekly Journal found that music is an important part of our physical and emotional well-being and listening to music for about 25 minutes every day for at least 10 days can help relieve chronic back aches.

Regulates cravings



Studies show that listening to music can increase the amount of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that regulates appetite. People can successfully improve their frame of mind and boost the release of feel-good hormones that prevents one from over-eating. According to Ferguson’s research, published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, playing soft music during a meal can help people slow down while eating and ultimately consume less food in one sitting because the sound of melodies and vibrations help them to be more mindful of fullness cues.

Sharpens senses



Listening to melodic beats can alter brainwave speed, creating brainwave activity similar to when a person is meditating or in a hypnotic state. Research suggests that using rhythmic stimuli, such as music compositions to induce these states can have a therapeutic effect, thus making the listener more aware of their surroundings. Long-term music training or simply singing in the shower every morning improves how the nervous system integrates all the senses, especially hearing and touch, according to research conducted by Julie Roy at the University of Montreal. People with long-standing musical careers and music enthusiasts were better able to separate information gained from hearing and touch, the study found.

Improves fitness levels



Experts say listening to music during activities can elevate your strength. Scientists claim that music can increase your endurance, boost your stamina and can distract you from any discomfort experienced during your daily work routine or your workout regime at the gym. Research conducted by Dr Robert Herdegen of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia found that the subjects’ levels of exertion were at their lowest when listening to music, and they were able to work longer. The subjects that worked without listening to tunes got tired faster and quit their task earlier. The best type of music to reap this particular benefit from music would be high energy, high tempo music such as hip hop or dance music.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2014.

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