Listening to your favorite music can instantly put you in a good mood, but scientists are discovering that music does more that lift your spirits.
Research found that after counseling, group therapy such as art and music therapy, the most useful. Music works on the autonomic nervous system – the part of the nervous system responsible for controlling our blood pressure, – and the limbic system – the part of the brain that controls feelings and emotions. Both systems react to music.
Here, are six proven ways that music can help:
Experts believe any type of classical music can help relieve muscle pain. Calm, slow music is also helpful. They found that listening to music for about 25 minutes every day for at least ten days can help prevent back pain and also make you sleep better.
MEMORY LOSS. How it helps: For many people suffering from memory loss the spoken language has become meaningless. Music can help patients remember tunes or songs and get in touch with their history. This is because the part of the brain which processes music is located next to memory.
The research: Researchers from Norway’s Sogn Og Fjordane College compared the effects of live, taped and no music on three different groups of people suffering from post traumatic amnesia – or memory loss.
The patients were exposed to all three conditions, twice over six consecutive days. Results showed that when patients listened to live or taped music, two thirds of them showed significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety and enhanced orientation, compared to the group that didn’t listen to music.
Which type of music is best? Research shows that people with memory loss respond best to music of their choice.