Music is an art form with numerous applications; from rituals and ceremonies, entertainment, cultural development and more.
Plato (428-348/347 BC) and Confucius both saw music as a means to uphold ethics, opposing voluptuous or disorderly melodies and believing rhythm and melody reflected celestial movements.
It Lifts Your Spirits
No matter if you’re dancing, running, or working out – music has the ability to elevate both your mood and physical performance. Music’s infectious beat can motivate us to move while its lyrics can spark our minds – the emotions a song evokes vary for everyone; some may find solace listening to sad or happy tracks while others prefer classical or nature sounds as background sounds.
Music’s origin is an ongoing debate. While some scholars consider its creation an extension of language, others contend it serves specific functions. According to evolutionary psychologists, mothers humming to their babies likely predated speech’s arrival on earth as a form of musical communication.
Music can be an incredible source of self-expression and community connection; group music-making in music therapy provides comfort and an sense of belonging, particularly for older adults living with dementia.
It Helps You Concentrate
Research has proven that music can help us focus on tasks more easily. But in order to reap its full potential, you must select your music wisely – for instance avoiding music with lyrics as this may distract your concentration from what needs to be accomplished. Instrumental pieces without vocals tend to work best as these do not interfere with concentration levels.
Consideration should also be given to the volume of music being listened to – it should provide background noise but be loud enough so you can still hear yourself think.
Music can also help improve performance under pressure situations like an exam or deadline. Listening to upbeat music before a test reduces stress while increasing recall and processing capabilities – one study showed basketball players who typically made poor free-throws improved their scores by listening to upbeat tunes beforehand.
It Helps You Unwind
Music can help ease our everyday stress and anxiety by distracting us from worries, and encouraging relaxation. Classical or meditation music often have this calming effect when played at the appropriate volume; however, any style can provide this soothful relief when played appropriately.
A 2021 study discovered that listening to soothing playlists reduced cortisol levels and significantly enhanced quality of life for Alzheimer’s patients. Furthermore, music can serve as an invaluable aid to other relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises or mindfulness meditation.
Music can provide an effective escape from everyday stressors and an outlet for relaxation and unwinding. Music is also often used as the soundtrack for activities such as exercising, shopping and cooking – some people even exercise using songs stored on an iPod as they find rhythm and beat inspiring them through their workout sessions.
It Helps You Remember
Music can evoke vivid recollections from our past, such as dancing at a disco or hearing songs that remind us of an earlier period in our lives. This process, known as music-evoked autobiographical memory, is an effective form of therapy; according to documentary Alive Inside, dementia patients listening to songs from their youth recall events and emotions they experienced at that time.
Song structures such as rhythm and rhyme help our brains encode information more easily and remember it better, according to studies conducted. Students typically perform better on memorization and processing tasks when listening to alert musical pieces.
Launch into a study playlist and unleash your musical powers! You may be amazed at just how quickly you can memorize math formulas when your headphones are filled with music! Studies also indicate that individuals who engage in musical activities maintain cognitive functioning even as they age.