Music has for ages been a great tool for expression of human feelings and emotions. When a song is written, you can tell exactly what the person was feeling. Music has been written to express joy, disappointment, anger, love, anticipation and an array of other emotions. Since we all have emotions, we can identify with different songs. You will probably find your personal favorites remind of different events in your life.
Music comes in different forms and styles. There are songs which have lyrics and can be performed acapella, or with musical accompaniments. In other cases, music can be instrumental and even then you can tell its mood. Just like love, music is universal and it connects people from different backgrounds in amazing ways.
For arts and entertainment, music has a great role to play. Even so, there are several other benefits of music that go beyond self-expression and talent. Music has been a great tool in conducting therapy. The following article gives a general picture of what music therapy is all about and the wonders it performs:
Music Therapy, More Powerful Than You Might Expect
An elderly woman was admitted to a medical facility in southern California, but nobody knew what to do for her. She was clearly angry, but she couldn’t communicate, and was impossible to console. After three days, she still did not speak, and would throw punches at anyone who came too close. That’s when staff called in board certified music therapist, Kat Fulton.
After considering the woman’s age, hometown, and other details from her chart, Fulton thought of a song to soothe this non-verbal, combative patient.
“Standing in the doorway I played an old Tin Pan Alley tune called Bicycle Built for Two,” said Fulton, who runs a music therapy practice in San Diego, as well as a series of continuing education videos on music therapy.
“She joined in and started singing with me. She knew all the words to all the verses,” Fulton said. “The staff came up behind me and said, ‘Change the chart. She’s verbal! She’s verbal!”‘ Via The Epoch Times
Music therapy can go beyond language and other forms of communication to draw out a person’s true nature as the article above explains. Because of how our bodies are musical in its rhythmic patterns, everyone responds to music in some way. You can always see people, young and old, tapping their feet in response to a give rhythmic beat or music. The effect is amazingly universal.
Even in the medical field, music has been greatly appreciated as a method of treatment. Medical research is exploring this area of study, and various methods have been proposed as a treatment for life-long health conditions and other disorders that have plagued the human race. The following article describes the amazing new developments in music and the medical practice:
Doctors Now Prescribing Music Therapy for Heart Ailments, Brain Dysfunction, Learning Disabilities, Depression, PTSD, Alzheimers, Childhood Development and More
Music has proven time and again to be an important component of human culture. From its ceremonial origin to modern medical usage for personal motivation, concentration, and shifting mood, music is a powerful balm for the human soul. Though traditional “music therapy” encompasses a specific set of practices, the broader use of music as a therapeutic tool can be seen nowadays as doctors are found recommending music for a wide variety of conditions.
- Music Helps Control Blood Pressure and Heart-Related Disorders
According to The Cardiovascular Society of Great Britain, listening to certain music with a repetitive rhythm for least ten seconds can lead to a decrease in blood pressure and a reduced heart rate. Certain classical compositions, if matched with human body’s rhythm, can be therapeutically used to keep the heart under control. Via Didgeproject
Medical practitioners are now embracing music as a way of treating conditions that have no known cure as the above article describes. Most of these conditions usually require constant administration of drugs to help manage and not necessarily to treat. Music is, therefore, a powerful tool in enhancing wellness in the entire body.
In addition to management of health conditions, there are other developmental disorders that come about during the early years in some children. Just like health conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease, these development disorders have no known cures. The following article describes how music has been used even in this area:
The benefits of music therapy for people with learning disabilities
Many of the people we support attend music therapy sessions. We spoke to Jeremy Wallace, Deputy Manager at FitzRoy Huw’s in Nottingham. He told us about the benefits of music therapy for people with learning disabilities.
“Music plays an incredibly important role in the lives of many of the people who live at Huw’s. Not only does listening and playing music provide enjoyment; but, it also helps people communicate how they feel, encourages independence, and provides them with a way to express themselves.
For example, David is at his happiest when he is playing his guitar or listening to music at concerts or at home. It’s also clear to see the pleasure music brings to Charlotte, who loves listening to Elvis and movie soundtracks. Other audience members at concerts have even commented on how much Charlotte seems to be enjoying the music. Via Fitzroy
Evidently, music can be of benefit to us in a myriad of ways. Now you have more reason to indulge and reap the benefits in more ways than one.
Featured Image: Image Credit
10 surprising benefits of listening to classical music [infographic] https://t.co/rgGChmY3em pic.twitter.com/RjYGeoVGB4
— Guy Kawasaki (@GuyKawasaki) August 13, 2016
“Music education is losing funding throughout the nation, but the benefits it brings are crucial to young brains.” https://t.co/fFJ2KoOuRj
— Give A Note (@GiveANote) August 19, 2016
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New Research Shows How Music Lessons During Childhood Benefit the Brain for a Lifetime
As a sometime musician, it’s only natural that I want my four-year-old daughter to take an interest in music. Sure, it’s a fun bonding activity, and sure, there may be a bit of a stage dad lurking inside me at times. But I’m also convinced of the tangible benefits playing a musical instrument can have on one’s personal development. New science, it seems, backs up this intuition. The Washington Post reported last year on a recent study from Northwestern University which found that “Music training not only helps children develop fine motor skills, but aids emotional and behavioral maturation as well.” Via Openculture
As a sometime musician, it’s only natural that I want my four-year-old daughter to take an interest in music. Sure, it’s a fun bonding activity, and sure, there may be a bit of a stage dad lurking inside me at times. But I’m also convinced of the tangible benefits playing a musical instrument can have on one’s personal development. New science, it seems, backs up this intuition. The Washington Post reported last year on a recent study from Northwestern University which found that “Music training not only helps children develop fine motor skills, but aids emotional and behavioral maturation as well.”
Research Shows the Health Benefits of Music
Scientists are now supporting the claim that Music is Medicine
There are many mindfulness practices to stimulate inner awareness, increase health, and elevate our mood. Now we can add to that list practices such as listening to Mozart with your full being while sipping tea, singing a pop-song out loud while you drive across town, or losing your body to ecstatic dancing. Scientific research now shows us the ways that music has a physiological effect on our bodies and can improve concentration, relieve stress, act as an antidepressant and more. Via Upliftconnect
Scientists are now supporting the claim that Music is Medicine
Scientists Find 15 Amazing Benefits Of Listening To Music
If you love listening to music, you’re in good company. Charles Darwin once remarked, “If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week.” Albert Einstein declared, “If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician.” Jimi Hendrix called music his “religion.”
I’ve always been in awe of people who can sing and play guitar. As a young girl, I secretly listened to singer-songwriter music in my bedroom into the wee hours. As a rebellious teenager, I cranked rock ‘n’ roll in the house whenever I had to do chores. I always felt great afterwards – now I know why. Via Lifehack
If you love listening to music, you’re in good company. Charles Darwin once remarked, “If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week.” Albert Einstein declared, “If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician.” Jimi Hendrix called music his “religion.”
