For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

Health Benefits Of Music Therapy

“There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music”, said George Elliot. Music moves us to love, joy, pride, catharsis and patriotism. But what of the health benefits of music therapy?

We all have personal experience ofhow music works on the mood. We have music to party to, music to laugh to, music to cry to, music to work out to, and music to help us do chores. Music has an effect on our brainwaves. It can be stimulating or calming. What’s more, research has shown that the effects of music on the brain continue even after the subject stops listening to music.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF VODKA

Music therapy focuses on improving the overall health status of the person, including diverse domains like cognitive performance, emotional improvement and healthy body. Music therapy uses singing, listening to music, and/or discussing music to achieve these ends.

Today, the health benefits of music therapy are being explored in a number of areas; from reducing stress to alternative cancer therapy. Here are some of the well-known health benefits of music therapy:

Health | Benefits | Of Music Therapy

Relaxes tense muscles: The stress and the pressures of our daily lives take a toll on our fitness. For instance, we spend long hours hunched over the computer. The muscles in our back, neck and shoulders especially, suffer because of this. The calming effect of music makes us adopt a more relaxed posture, loosening our muscles.

Reduces depression: A study from Finland demonstrated how beneficial music is to patients with depression. Music stabilizes brainwaves and has a calming effect. Singing can give the depressive a sense of accomplishment. While music alone cannot be a cure, it acts as a wonderfulsupport mechanism in the treatment of depression.

Reduces sleeplessness: One of the causes of insomnia is an inability to free the mind of stressful thoughts. Gentle calming music helps the mind unwind, and the body loosen up enough to fall asleep. Music with minimal instruments and repetitive hooks are among the best to help you fall asleep!

Beneficial effect on the heart: Medical professionals now believe that rhythmic beats can play a role in steadying heartbeats. If you’re in a stressful profession with frequent high pressure situations, you place enormous strain on your heart. Allow yourself to de-stress every day with a steady rhythmic beat.

Aids digestion: This is one of the health benefits of music therapy. Music has an indirect effect on your digestive system. As it calms and de-stresses, it reduces the production of acidity causing adrenalin in your body. When you’re calm, acid production in your digestive tract is balanced.

Helps paediatric patients:Remember how comforted you were by your mother singing you to sleep? Playing music helps babies who are teething or suffering from colic. The repetitive, lulling quality of music also calms children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD. This is usually tried with success in western countries.

Music is a universal language and this makes it hold an important position even from its emerging state in treatment methods. Although it is a science under scrutiny, these health benefits of music therapy look promising.

Story first published: Saturday, July 5, 2014, 8:57 [IST]
Read more about: wellness health