For most people, music is a huge part of their lives. It connects, inspires, evokes memories and emotions. If you are curious about how music can influence your life, read this article.
Why almost everyone listens to music?
Music has existed since the beginning of culture, and it has always accompanied people. Listening to music influences your mood so you can express yourself more easily. People also use music for social connections. Moreover, it is also said that your music preference tells a lot about your personality. If you are a duo durham lover, your character probably differs from the personality of a thrash metal fan. Anyway, we can say that music has different meanings for each of us. But one thing is certain: music has various positive effects on you.
How does music affect your body and mind?
Music makes you smarter
Children who listen to and play music improve cooperation between their two halves of the brain as well as their concentration. Moreover, music increases their IQ.
Music brings relief during pain
While listening to music, the substance endorphin, a happiness hormone, is created. This substance helps against the feeling of pain, anxiety and stress. More and more hospitals use music to help reduce anxiety and discomfort during and after operations. Research in hospitals also indicated that patients who listened to music during the operation were less troubled by anxiety and had a lower level of the stress hormone cortisol in their body.
Music is therapeutic
People with a condition such as autism, Alzheimer’s, depression or a brain injury can benefit from music therapy. You often see that this form of treatment is used in nursing homes. Residents become happier and less stressed. Music is sometimes instrumental in evoking feelings, thoughts and memories and can help you to name and process those emotions.
Music influences our mood
Some songs have a calming effect on us and take away negative feelings such as anxiety, stress and worries. Music also has a lot of influence on your physical health. While listening to soft music, blood circulation improves, and the heart rate decreases. With loud music you boost yourself, and the heart rate is therefore increased.
Music stimulates our productivity
Many people think that music makes work more fun and that it makes them more productive and creative. For sports performance, it has even been proven that the right music reduces the feeling of strain and fatigue. That is not only a finding but also a fact.
It can be described by such a process:
First of all, the sounds naturally enter your brain through your ears to eventually arrive in the brainstem. Next, hormones/substances such as serotonin are produced in that brainstem and the area around it. This substance provides the feeling of excitement, the feeling that you are back on edge. As a final step, these substances end up in the cerebral cortex, which, thanks to these substances, receives a boost so that you can focus better and work more concentrated.
Important aspects for increasing productivity through music are the tempo, rhythm and the lyrics of the song.
Music influences our taste
You have undoubtedly heard music playing in the background during a dinner in a restaurant. There is a good reason for this. The sound volume and music style can change the taste intensity and generated turnover per table. Take for example a loud and fast song. This increases the turnover per table, but it can also change your taste experience. High notes in a song enhance the sweet taste experience.
To sum up
Music is a powerful tool in our lives. It can change your mood, improve your health, and even make you order a certain type of food. Thus, be aware of the importance of music.
