That music has a significant impact on the way you act, feel and think is an undeniable fact. But for those of you that still need proof, here’s another infographic for you:
The level of impact that music will have on people’s brains and bodies is not necessarily the same. First because different genres have different effects on different people, and second because the appeal of the song is a crucial factor.
“The effect of music on the brain or body depends in part on its genre,” Frank A. Russo, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Ryerson University, tells Yahoo Health. But it also depends on whether or not you like the song. “Someone who is a ‘metalhead’ will be able to hear all sorts of emotions in music that others would generally hear as being aggressive,” he says. Via Yahoo!
In a test study, participants that did not feel the urge to be happy while they listened to upbeat music did not experience any changes in their mood. The study concluded that listening to positive music could be an effective way of improving happiness, and the effect is increased when the listener wants to be happier.
Listening to “Happy” by Pharrell Williams can actually cheer you up. Research published in the Journal of Positive Psychology shows that listening to upbeat music improves mood, with one catch — it only works if you have the desire to be happy. Via Yahoo!
The study also revealed that when listening to music, dopamine (or the ‘feel-good’ neurochemical) is released. This same chemical is released when we satisfy our desire to eat, sleep or reproduce. So when we anticipate and then go on to actually experience a feeling of pleasantness while listening to music, our brain translates this as an experience worth releasing dopamine for.
If you’ve heard about the ‘Mozart effect’ then you probably know it has to do with making you work better when listening to classical music. But it’s not just classical music that has this effect.
A study published in the journal Intelligence shows that people exposed to music performed better at spatial tasks than those not listening to music, but this was not dependent on the musical genre. One of the researchers in the Mozart effect study, Frances Rauscher, explained the implications to NPR: “The key to it is that you have to enjoy the music. If you hate Mozart, you’re not going to find a Mozart effect. If you love Pearl Jam, you’re going to find a Pearl Jam effect.” Via Yahoo!
Research shows that playing music is one way to improve your working memory. In fact, musicians have been found to perform better than non-musicians on various memory tests including visual, phonological and executive memory tests.
Ever listen to a song and get vivid flashbacks? “Music can definitely support the recall and even formation of memories,” Russo says. “Enjoyable music may lead to dopamine release in the mesolimbic [reward] pathway, which may in turn support the formation of associations and, ultimately, memories.” Via Yahoo!
Ever heard of skin orgasms? It’s the name a psychologist gave to the chills or goose bumps you get while listening to a particularly powerful piece of music.
When a song goes in a direction you just didn’t expect (with a key change or diversion in melody, for example), you may experience physical sensations on your skin. Wesleyan psychologist Psyche Loui calls them “skin orgasms,” Science of Us reports. Via Yahoo!
A similar study found that music with this type of effect promotes communal goodwill among its listeners.
Study Shows Music More Effective Than Drugs For A Variety Of Conditions
A recent study conducted at McGill University’s Psychology Department has shown that music is actually more effective than drugs for a variety of different conditions.
The study found that music can release natural chemicals and pain relievers in the brain that work quicker and better than drugs do. Prof. Levitin, one of the study’s main researchers explained how music can trigger chemical processes in the brain that have healing effects. Via True Activist
The Scientific Effects Music Has On Every Aspect Of Your Everyday Life
As the cliché goes: There’s a time and there’s a place for everything – and music is certainly not the exception. Take Christmas music, for instance. If you threw on some Burl Ives at your Fourth of July BBQ, I’m sure you’d have your DJ privileges stripped on site.
Having said that, let’s say you throw on “Have A Holly Jolly Christmas,” in early December. I’m sure you’ll witness a completely different response from the rest of company. Via Elite Daily
LETTER: Music has benefits and no side effects
Dear Editor: The AARP Bulletin for July-August had a very fascinating article concerning Alzheimer’s disease. This article stated that 5 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s disease. They estimate one in eight baby boomers will get the disease. Twenty-one drugs to treat Alzheimer’s have failed over the last nine years.
This article is called, “The Healing Power of Music.” In many cases music therapy can ease Alzheimer’s patients’ suffering to a certain extent. One woman who was non-verbal started speaking again after hearing music that was meaningful to her. Via Tuscaloosa News
A recent study conducted at McGill University’s Psychology Department has shown that music is actually more effective than drugs for a variety of different conditions.
As the cliché goes: There’s a time and there’s a place for everything – and music is certainly not the exception. Take Christmas music, for instance. If you threw on some Burl Ives at your Fourth of July BBQ, I’m sure you’d have your DJ privileges stripped on site.
Dear Editor: The AARP Bulletin for July-August had a very fascinating article concerning Alzheimer’s disease. This article stated that 5 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s disease. They estimate one in eight baby boomers will get the disease. Twenty-one drugs to treat Alzheimer’s have failed over the last nine years.
