The Beneficial Impact Of Music On Your Health

     Ever been on the way to school, the work, walking down the streets, the halls, wherever it may be, and see people with their headphones in? It is most likely that they are listening to music while tuning out the world around them. It wouldn’t be a surprise if people forgot how much of an impact music can have on their daily lives. It may not seem much like it, especially when it is a norm in our society today, but music can impact human health in many ways whether for best or for worse. Questions may arise from the music we listen to; if it is distracting us rather than helping us, or if it can be used to improve our cognitive abilities. Through research conducted on the use of music, it can be determined that it holds positive value. Music can be beneficial on human health by improving memory and cognitive development, as well as being a substitute for an individual.

For teens today, they go through many mental struggles whether it is depression, anxiety, relationships, and much more (Penn Medicine, 2018). It’s inevitable that problems would arise, especially with the evolution of technology that is developed over time. The internet plays a huge role in the lives of children, teens, adults alike, and one example is the ability to “stream”. Platforms such as Apple Music, or Spotify have been used relatively for the main purpose of listening to music by artists and creators and are popularized by teens in the United States or anywhere in the world (Statista, 2019). Due to this, music could be accessed from anywhere at any time. With the mental struggles that people face today, there may be times where an individual would want to listen to music in order to cope with their emotions. Adding on, they may even choose to listen to music that can relate to the emotion they are experiencing. Ever listen to saddening music when you feel down about something? Well, it’s not a surprise that there are benefits to doing that. A study conducted by the Journal of Consumer Research helped to determine correlation between music, and a type of friend. For example, one may prefer to listen to melancholic songs rather than those that are upbeat when faced with a negative circumstance like “losing a family member” or “failing an exam”. The same circumstances are then brought up with individuals who mention which type of friend they would prefer when faced with those issues. The results show that there is not much of a distance between which music or friend is preferred. It’s almost as if the music itself is your friend as it can relate to what you are experiencing leaving an empathic type relationship towards your emotions, and a lot of people don’t notice they have this “friend” with them.

     The health of people shifts as they get older. It can be much harder to recall information or use cognitive processes as they start to deteriorate over time after certain ages (Singh-Manoux, 2012). It is inevitable that we start to lose the abilities we once had or it may be harder to retain information. Contrasting to those of younger age, when children are starting out, they tend to be more susceptible to gathering information and retaining it more than adults. Through different engagements, they are capable of learning different strengths and weaknesses while being exposed to activities that keep their attention (Bakken, 2017). However, it has been discovered that music can also help recall information in older people especially those who may find it hard to retain it. A study conducted by authors and researchers at Frontiers In Psychology would determine the ability of recognition in older adults with or without musical knowledge. It was found out that emotional content was tied to the rhythmic patterns given to the participants of the study. They would follow the patterns using instruments, then recall the information as well as improvise it. The results of the study concluded that musicians had a better improvisation performance than non-musicians. To further explain this study, it showed that those who possessed previous musical knowledge were able to recall the skills they possessed by the use of musical improvisation. This shows that music can have a beneficial impact on the health of humans even if they are older adults. If you have an older family member, try asking them what their favorite songs are, then the context behind them. You’ll never know what story is behind that music!

     In addition to old age, health conditions are much more common in older adults. An example would be strokes which are more likely to occur around the ages 55 and up (Mayo Clinic, 2021). Did you know that music can be used to help those who suffered strokes? According to a study conducted by authors and researchers at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, it was determined that singing lyrics can help those who are recovering from stroke or injury and have damaged their left-brain region. Since that region is used for speech, the uninjured right region is where the ability to sing stems from. The results showed that individuals were able to recognize different words or phrases, then adding the melody, leading to a boost in memory. The brain is a very important organ because all of our skills come from it, so it must be protected. It is outstanding to see how smart our brains really are, especially when we tend to ignore how capable we as humans can truly be.

     To reiterate all that has been said, music is beneficial to us as humans. It can help to improve our cognitive abilities as well as especially when we get older and lose touch with our skills. Adding on, music itself can be your best friend when you need them the most, especially with teens today who face difficult stresses in society. It’s as simple as hitting the play button and tuning out the world so you can listen to what makes you happy.

Works Cited

Bakken, L., Nola, B. and Downing, B. “Early Childhood Education: The Long-Term Benefits Journal of Research in Childhood Education” Vol. 31, No. 2, 255-269, 2017, https://www.kumon.co.uk/blog/the-earlier-children-learn-the-better/

Diaz Abrahan Veronika, et al. “Cognitive Benefits From A Musical Activity In Older Adults.” Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 10, Mar 28, 2019, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00652

Fabiny, Anne. “Music can boost memory and mood” Feb 14, 2015, https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/music-can-boost-memory-and-mood

Lee, Chan Jean, et al. “Interpersonal Relationships and Preferences for Mood-Congruency in Aesthetic Experiences.” Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 40, no. 2, Oxford University Press, 2013, pp. 382–91, https://doi.org/10.1086/670609.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Stroke care at Mayo Clinic”. Feb 9, 2021, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/symptoms-causes/syc-20350113

Penn Medicine. “6 Facts Parents Should Know About Mental Illness In Teens”. Apr 11, 2018, https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2017/may/teens-menta l-health

Teppo Särkämö, et al. “Music listening enhances cognitive recovery and mood after middle cerebral artery stroke”. Brain, Volume 131, Issue 3, March 2008, Pages 866–876, https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awn013

Singh-Manoux, Archana, et al. “Timing of onset of cognitive decline: results from Whitehall II prospective cohort study”. BMJ, 2012, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d7622

Statista Research Development. “Most popular music streaming services in the United States in March 2018 and September 2019, by monthly users” Jun 10, 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/798125/most-popular-us-music-streaming-services-ran ked-by-audience/