IT’S TRUE. MUSIC MAKES YOU SMARTER, HEALTHIER AND BETTER.
It is a universal phenomenon. Every single second there is at least one person who listens or plays music. Owning headphones is a must in this day and age. Concert venues are getting bigger and bigger and more and more people are going to festivals. But what is the cause behind it? Why is music so popular? And why so many people listen to it? Let’s dive in and look at what is actually happening to the human body and brain.
Blame it on dopamine
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and a hormone that makes people feel happy. When music enters the brain it triggers the pleasure centers that are responsible for releasing dopamine. It is the same brain chemical that makes people feel good when eating chocolate, having an orgasm or having a runner’s high.
It has been proved that music affects brain development. Playing an instrument can increase grey matter volume in certain regions of the brain. As a result, musicians often experience improvement in brain functions such as auditory processing, memory, learning, and cognitive flexibility. This is due to the fact that they have a larger corpus callosum — nerve fibers that connect the right and left side. In other words, both sides of a musician’s brain communicate better with each other. Brain scans showed that brains of musicians are bigger, better connected and more sensitive.
There has been such a large interest of music on the brain that the neuroscience formed a new branch of research called neuromusicology. The field’s main focus is on the nervous system and how it reacts to music.
Different strokes for different folks
What is even greater about listening to music? Genre does not matter! Whether it is smooth jazz, classical music, pop or heavy metal. Different genres produce the same results as long as they match one’s musical preferences. In simple words — people should listen to music they like.
For a while, it was believed that classical music increased brain activity and made its listeners smarter — the Mozart effect. This is no longer true. In recent studies, it has been found that patients with dementia responded better to the music they grew up listening to. Listening to favourite music activates different regions of the brain. Memories associated with music are called emotional memories. They never fade out — even in Alzheimer's patients.
But different genres serve different purposes. Experts in the neuromusicology field recommend listening to upbeat music with positive lyrics for an energy boost and kick the brain to prepare for learning. For reading, writing and studying instrumental music and soothing genres help with concentration and staying focused. Listening or playing music reduces chronic stress by lowering cortisol — the stress hormone.
Music makes one a better person
Music activates every known part of the brain. Playing music or enjoying live music stimulates oxytocin — brain hormone also known as the ‘’trust and moral molecule’’. Its function helps people to bond and trust others. It makes them more generous and trustworthy. Music increases prosocial behaviors such as empathy, kindness, helpfulness, and cooperation. Positive lyrics reduce prejudice and make people less fearful of those who are different than them.
Another fun fact — listening to positive lyrics affects how people spend their money. Restaurant costumers are more likely to leave bigger tips when listening to music with positive messages during their meal. Coffee shop costumers are more likely to buy fair trade coffee while listening to prosocial lyrics.
There’s more…
Music is also beneficial for health. A 2016 research on music showed that listening to music boosts immunity in a sense that it increases antibodies and cells that protect the body against bacteria and viruses. This research also showed that people with depression or Parkinson’s disease were getting better while listening to their favorite music. A study done on Patients with fibromyalgia (a chronic disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue) showcased that listening to relaxing music of a patient’s choice reduced pain and significantly increased their functional mobility. This is due to the fact that listening to music triggers other brain chemicals called endogenous opioids. These are the body’s natural pain killers. These chemicals act just like opioid drugs.
IN A NUTSHELL, MUSIC CAN
· REDUCE SEIZURES
· MAKE YOU A BETTER COMMUNICATOR
· MAKE YOU STRONGER
· BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
· ASSIST IN REPAIRING BRAIN DAMAGE
· MAKE YOU SMARTER
· EVOKE MEMORIES
Music makes one smarter, happier, and more productive at any age. Listening is good, playing is better. Even though music is invisible, it is powerful.
Sources:
Alban, Deane. “How Music Affects the Brain”. Be Brain Fit, 2018. www.bebrainfit.com/music-brain. Accessed 10 Nov. 2019.
Cooper, Belle Beth. “8 Surprising Ways Music Affects and Benefits our Brains”. Buffer, 2016. www.buffer.com/resources/music-and-the-brain. Accessed 10 Nov. 2019.
Luke. “Music and the Brain [Effects of Music on the Brain]”. Thrive Global,2019. www.thriveglobal.com/stories/music-and-brain/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2019.
