Music and Health

There is definitely something to music that makes it capable of affecting us, especially our mood and health, significantly. But what it is, how, and why our mind reacts to it that way?

Several studies have actually explored the impact of music on health, as well as the process by which music therapy promotes health. And all of these studies have confirmed that music has a profound effect on our body and psyche in both positive and negative ways, depending on the auditory stimuli we are exposed to.

Results found music that affects us through the auditory signals it sends to our brain. Songs with a strong beat were identified to be capable of making our brainwaves to synchronise with the beat. The faster the beats are, the sharper our concentration will become and the more alert our mind can be. Slower beats, on the other hand, take our mind to a calmer, meditative state. Exposure of the brain to changing levels of brainwave is also found to enable it to shift speed easily when needed, even after you have stopped listening to music.

On related note, alternations in the brainwave activity level also affect s some of other bodily functions, particularly our breathing and heart rate. When brainwave activity shifts to slower pace, our relaxation response system will activated. This would result to slower heart rate and breathing. That is why slow, mellow music makes us feel relax and gives us a clearer and more peaceful state of mind.