Music and its Positive Effects on Health

Does listening to music relax you? Make you feel less tense? Ease pain and discomfort? Help you sleep? Lower your blood pressure? As a follow-up to December’s Newsletter Health Notes on laughter and health, the 2013 New Year Health Notes starts with comments on the effects of music, especially classical music, on health.

Various studies provide evidence that listening to classical music does indeed have healthful effects. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine looked at participants’ blood vessels when they listened to music they selected that brought them a sense of joy and made them feel good. This caused “tissue in the inner lining of blood vessels to dilate (or expand) in order to increase blood flow. This healthy response matches what the same researchers found in a 2005 study of laughter.” “On the other hand, when study volunteers listened to music they perceived as stressful, their blood vessels narrowed, producing a potentially unhealthy response that reduces blood flow.” A physiological reaction to the type of music is suggested to be a factor. “We don’t understand why somebody may be drawn to certain classical music, for example. There are no words in that, and yet the rhythm, the melody and harmony, may all play a role in the emotional and cardiovascular response.” http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/music- cardiovascular.htm#ixzz2ApKcAzpa. The emotional component may be an endorphin-mediated effect.” “The active listening to music evokes such raw positive emotions likely in part due to the release of endorphins.”

Lowering blood pressure: “The most often cited benefit of listening to the three B's is stress relief. The soothing experience when you hear a masterful opus isn’t just imagined; a 2004 study out of the University of San Diego found that after hearing classical music, listeners had lower blood pressure.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15296685 A 2008 article published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing also claimed pregnant women reduced levels of stress, anxiety and depression after listening to a 30- minute CD of classical hits.”

Relieving Pain: A British medical team was able to reduce the amount of opiates given to people who were recovering from stomach surgery by giving them a steady dose of classical music. http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/wellbeing/health-benefits-of-music.htm#ixzz2GlFSdNoB The University of Utah Pain Research Center found that engaging patients “in music listening can reduce responses to pain, depending on the person: people who are anxious and can become absorbed in activities easily may find music listening especially effective for relieving pain.” (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22071366)

Emotions: “Everyone reacts to music in different ways. One individual may love heavy metal for example, while another is happiest listening to Mozart. Whatever your preference, a 2011 Canadian study, published in Nature Neuroscience, has shown that plugging in to your favourite music could help melt away a bad mood. Researchers at McGill University in Montreal showed that listening to pleasurable music of any description induced 'musical chills', which triggered the release of the feel-good chemical dopamine.” http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/wellbeing/health-benefits-of-music.htm#ixzz2GlFSdNoB

Stress reduction: When subjects were required “to listen to music twice a day for half-an-hour for two weeks, it was found that the stress and anxiety levels dropped significantly.” http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/3740/20101115/health-benefits-of-listening-to-music.htm

Sleep: “A Hungarian team showed that listening to 45 minutes of classical music before bedtime helped students from 19 to 28, who had problems falling asleep. The researchers suggest turning on the famous Lullaby, or similar peaceful pieces, could be an effective way of battling insomnia.” “Since music has a balancing effect on stress and anxiety, listening to music while going to bed can be very beneficial as it calms the mind, thus resulting in a good night’s sleep.” The conclusion of a study conducted at the Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital showed that “listening to soothing music at nocturnal sleep time improved the rested rating scores, shortened stage 2 sleep, and prolonged REM sleep” but had little effect on sleep quality. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22494532)

Stimulation of brain cells: listening to music with strong beats results in brainwaves resonating in sync with the beats of the music, which gives one more concentration and alert thinking. “On the other hand, classical music not only puts one in a calm meditative state but it also leaves one with a sense of well-being and satisfaction about themselves long after the music has been turned off.” http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/3740/20101115/health-benefits-of-listening-to-music.htm

Radio station (WQRX) reported (November, 2011) that the German transportation minister released a CD of slow movements of Mozart piano concertos with the hopes that the album would reduce aggressive driving on the autobahn. (http://www.wqxr.org/#!/articles/top-5-105/2011/nov/10/top-five-studies-classical-music- and-health/).

Additional resource information:

Ease patients’ distress during surgery” http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1929994,00.html http://health.yahoo.net/experts/allinyourmind/5-health-benefits-music

Music therapy: http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/healthday/080322/music-as-medicine.htm Diabetes and music therapy: (The Power of Music by Mannes): http://www.npr.org/2011/06/01/136859090/the-power-of-music-to-affect-the-brain

“Classical Music Can Improve Your Life”: http://maryrenee.hubpages.com/hub/Why-You-Should-Listen-To- Classical-Music

Bach's Air on the G string is amongst the most famous pieces of music for relaxation: http://sissi.hubpages.com/hub/Effect-of-Classical-Music-on-the-Brain http://science.yourdictionary.com/articles/how-does-music-affect-the-brain.html

Your musical prescription for health: take a dose of Brahms, add some Beethoven and Mozart, toss in a little Haydn, spice it up with Boccherini, dance a step with Dvorak and Piazzolla, and hum along with Puccini’s Humming Chorus from Madama Butterfly!