Music and Health

Pythagoras, a Greek philosopher, stated that music contributes to the natural harmony of the mind and the body (Moris & Linos, 2012). He taught his students to change their worries, fears, sorrows, and anger by singing and playing a musical instrument daily. Other Western philosophers, such as Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Nietzsche, considered the practical and theoretical role of music in relation to a person's health.

Profound scientific, medical, psychological, cognitive, physical, social, and spiritual connections are involved in the power of sound and music. Healing with music combines musical experiences with the inherent universal forms in music to heal the body, mind, and spirit. Like a tuning fork for the brain, music can stimulate specific regions to soothe emotions, boost the capacity for learning, and unlock creative genius (AMTA, 2014; Borysenko, 2001).

Music therapy, music psychology, and psychoacoustics (the study of the perception of sound, including how we listen, our psychological responses to sound, and the physiological impact of music and sound on the human nervous system) are being used to integrate positive sound and music into people's daily lives.

According to the American Music Therapy Association (2014), music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of musical interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.

Music is beneficial socially, cognitively, physically, emotionally, and developmentally. Due to these benefits, music therapy is used in hospitals, nursing homes, and psychiatric facilities (Bradt, Dileo, Drocke, & Magill, 2011; Finnerty, 2011)

                                                 Health Benefits of music

• Music affects respiration. Breathing at a deep, slow rate is optimal for stress relief and contributes to a sense of calm. By listening to music with longer, slower rhythms, entrainment occurs. Breathing deepens and slows, creating a peaceful, relaxed sensation.

• Music affects the heartbeat, pulse rate, and blood pressure. Musical variables such as frequency, tempo, and volume tend to speed up or slow down heart rate. The faster the music, the faster the heart rate; the slower the music, the slower the heart rate and help body to reduce blood pressure.

• Music reduces muscle tension and improves body movement and coordination. Through the autonomic nervous system, the auditory nerve connects the inner ear to the frontal lobe of the brain, which, in turn, is connected to every muscle in the body. Thus, muscular response, strength, flexibility, and tone are influenced by sound, vibration, and music.

• Music affects body temperature. Because sound and music affect all muscles of the body (both voluntary and involuntary), as well as blood circulation, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and sweating, it can influence our body temperature. Loud music with a strong beat can raise body temperature by a few degrees; soft music with a weak beat can lower it.

• Music can increase endorphin levels and reduce pain. When sounds and music evoke positive emotions, endorphins are released. Endorphins are the body's natural analgesics and they produce a feeling in the body similar to morphine. release of endorphins can decrease the need for pain medication, provide a distraction from pain, and relieve anxiety.

• Music can regulate stress-related hormones. Listening to relaxing, ambient music may reduce the level of stress hormones in the blood, contributing to a sense of relaxation and calm, and in some cases reducing or eliminating the need for many types of medication.

• Music and sound can boost immune function. Insufficient oxygen in the blood may be a major cause of immune deficiency and degenerative disease. Listening to certain types of music—as well as engaging in singing, chanting, and other vocal forms—relaxes muscles and improves respiratory effort, resulting in better oxygenation of the cells.

• Music serves as a storehouse for memories. Pictures, thoughts and vivid recollections can all be encoded in the mind when an individual listens to music. Music helps people with memory loss access these memories, and also become more aware of the present, their surroundings and other people.

• Music can improve hearing and speech. Listening to music can enhance hearing by improving our ability to perceive speech in a noisy environment—a common issue when age-related hearing impairment occurs.

• Music can decrease blood glucose levels. When stress levels are reduced through the use of sound and music, blood glucose levels also decline. High levels of blood glucose are associated with an increased risk for diabetes, decreased wound healing, and increased risk for several chronic diseases. Music may reduce the risk of these issues.

• Music encourages us to exercise and be more active. With the addition of music, movements become a pleasure rather than a chore.

• Music can improve sleep quality. Studies show that individuals who have sleep problems often experience improvement after listening to soft music at bedtime. This may be due to a decrease in stress hormones, an increase in muscular relaxation, or an increase in oxygen to the brain.

• Music can reduce the effects of chemotherapy. Sound healing is effective in controlling nausea and pain associated with chemotherapy (Schweitzer, Gilpin, & Frampton, 2004),

Music is useful in relieving stress in every age and in virtually every culture notes, "It's amazing that in just a few minutes, music can trigger responses in your heartbeat, emotions, and attentiveness. Almost instantly, you can be activated, awakened, and feel like dancing".

Dr.Mangesh Mudgal

Panchakarma specialist,CIPR, CBH (USA)

Join us on facebook: rudrakshamayur.com, feel free to call us on +9188308330253, +917066459993