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The Benefits of Music
Think back on a time when you experienced something stressful. How did you cope with it? Recall a time when you needed to relax. What did you use to help you? Chances are your answers involve music. The desire to play music while working, studying, or even relaxing is universal. Whether playing the music, singing along, or just listening, music can have many positive effects that aren’t often recognized. Music is unique in its ability to stimulate more than just one brain hemisphere, incorporating both the right and left sides of the brain. Because both sides of the brain are being affected, there are both creative and analytical benefits to making music part of daily routines. It’s no secret that listening to or playing music is enjoyable, but studies have proven that music can boost more than just your mood.
Listening to music releases dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is known not only for improving mood but also increasing motivation and emotional stamina. But the benefits that come from listening to music affect more than just the way we feel. Studies have shown that when listening to the right style of music at the right decibel level, students have been able to concentrate better. For studying purposes, this mainly applies to classical music. Many school teachers and professors argue that music is simply distracting, or so stimulating that it inhibits a student’s ability to focus. However, when classical music has few words, or as is often found, few English words, the mind isn’t as easily distracted by the meaning or idea of the song. In fact, what is sometimes interpreted as chaotic in classical music can provide a high enough level of exertion for your brain to comprehend, that it stimulates high l...
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...in these kinds of music learning environments. All these benefits together have also been linked to longevity, as well as physical and mental health.
Works Cited
Baker, Mitzi. "Music moves brain to pay attention, Stanford study finds." Stanford School of Medicine. Stanford School of Medicine, 1 Aug 2007. Web. Web. 26 Mar 2014.
BBC News "Playing musical instrument 'sharpens mind' says St Andrews study." BBC News (2013): n.pag. BBC News. Web. 1 Apr 2014.
Christ, Scott. "20 surprising, science-backed health benefits of music." USA Today. USA Today, 17 Dec 2013. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
Cooper, Belle. " How Music Affects and Benefits Your Brain."lifehacker.come. N.p., 11 22 2013. Web. 3 Apr. 2014.
FUN Music Company "How Does Music Stimulate Left and Right Brain Function and Why is this Important in Music Teaching?." FUN Music Company, n. d. Web. Web. 26 Mar 2014.
According to Laurence O’Donnell, “Music is thought to link all of the emotional, spiritual, and physical elements of the universe.” This proves that music is more than a simple class teaching random notes. It is a common denominator between mind, body, and learning. One scholar shows that music causes a response that can affect a person’s mood; this is directly related to how a person acts upon their emotional response to music. He later talks about how music can have a positive effect on memorization and brain function (O’Donnell). The Center for New Discoveries in Learning stated, “Learning potential can be increased a minimum of five times by using 60 beats per minute music” (qtd. in O’Donnell). Most of the music that follows these types of beats is classical music such a Mozart and Bach. This is the type of music taught in schools, thus, enhancing a student’s ability to learn.
Mannes, Elena. "www.npr.org/2011/06/01/136859090/the-power-of-music-to-affect-the-brain." Mannes, Elena. The Power of Music to Affect the Brain. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2011.
Music and the Brain: Processing and Responding (A General Overview). For any individual who either avidly listens to or performs music, it is understood that many melodies have amazing effects on both our emotions and our perception. To address the effects of music on the brain, it seems most logical to initially map the auditory and neural pathways of sound. In the case of humans, the mechanism responsible for receiving and transmitting sound to the brain is the ears.
Brown, L. L. (2012, May 25). The Benefits of Music Education. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
Studies have shown that the effects of classical music, are advantageous to both one’s ability to process and retain new information, as well as to recall and memorize old material. I believe that the outcome of an experiment of this nature will be entirely dependent upon the individual that the experiment is being conducted upon. Furthermore, due to the complexity of as well as the diversity found within humans, and the fact that no two humans are the same, I believe that the results will vary from person to person.
It is true that music has a compact link to our emotions. Music assists people to overcome the bad situations in their life, just like it did for Sonny, the barmaid, or some other people in the Harlem. Music has a tremendous effect on people’s mind because it makes them feel relax and comfortable, especially the soft classical music. It helps distressed people to stay smooth and peaceful. In fact, music is a remarkable way to ease our stress.
With so many different cultures, races, religions, personalities, etc., it’s surprising how many fundamental things humans share. Music intertwines us all with its diversity and the effect it has on us. Whether you’re looking to rock out in a dance party, get a good workout in, sleep soundly, study hard, recover from a depressive state, or get the thrill of a super scary horror movie, music is there. Although listening to music is thought to be solely a source of entertainment, it can be used to improve almost all aspects of our everyday life.
Music has been referred to as a universal language for the world. No matter where in the world one is, people can come together and appreciate a piece of music. This is because melody and rhythm have no language barrier. That is why we see musical acts sell out shows across the globe, not just within their home countries. People have favorite types of music for many reasons, but particularly as Sacks says “We turn to music, we need it, because of its ability to move us, to induce feelings and moods, states of mind. “(Sacks, “The Power of Music”) But how often do people examine what actually happens to the brain once music is heard? There are fascinating things that can occur within the brain when one puts on a piece of music. Certain types of music have a positive effect in the brain that concern anger,
No matter what you listen to, music has a way to “play with our emotions”. For example, if you listen to Tchaikovsky (classical) you may feel calm, and if you listen to Eminem (rap) you may feel hyper. If the music you listen to makes you feel good, it is good for you, Daniel Levitin, a Neuroscientist who focuses mainly on music, explains in an interview.
Music and the Brain. (n.d.). Music and the Brain. Retrieved April 25, 2014, from http://tdlc.ucsd.edu/research/highlights/rh-music-and-brain-2011.html
"Music and the Brain." Music and the Brain. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. .
Some people believe that songs with lyrics and melody can distract a student while studying, and hence, the speed of doing work will decrease. However, it must be recognized that there are other types of music, such as classical or instrumental music. These types of music promote in gaining higher concentration than compared to music with lyrics. As Cho suggests, with this state, when the brain is relaxed and calm,work is d...
...day that music is powerful medicine. It has a great affect on tearing down the walls of silence and affliction of Alzheimer’s, depression, injuries, healing. And did you know that kids, who study the arts, do an average of forty points higher in math and science? Music education is superior to even computer instruction in enhancing early childhood mental capacity and special intelligence. Music therapists prove every single day that music is powerful medicine. (Richards Institute of Education and Research) Music is Magic.
Weinberger, Norman M. “Music and the Brain.” Scientific American Special Edition 16.3 (2006): 36-43. Health Source- Consumer Edition. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
In today's day and age, music may also act as a therapeutic outlet for some people.