Sentimental Journey: A Musical Resolution
By Jennifer Pollard
It’s that time of year again, when you make resolutions and promises of healthy habits and eating that often end before February. Resolutions that are small and manageable will most likely produce success. What is a resolution you can stick to? How about enjoying life? Would you like to reduce stress?
Adding music in your daily routine can do just that. Here are 10 positive facts about the benefits of making a musical resolution in your life.
Music can…..
- Ease Pain
- Music can meaningfully reduce the perceived intensity of pain
- Improve Motivation and Performance
- Upbeat music can boost your motivation and help you accomplish more things.
- Improve Sleep Quality: Listening to classical music has been shown to effectively treat insomnia, making it a safe alternative to sleep-inducing medications.
- Reduce Stress: While listening to music, biochemical stress reducers are triggered, helping to ease stress and anxiety.
- Relieve Symptoms of Depression: Research suggests classical and meditative sounds can be calming and upbeat. ‘Happy’ music can be uplifting.
- Improve Cognitive Performance: Studies show music can elevate people’s mood. Music can also improve cognitive function and performance on tests. Keep in mind, music affects five areas of our brain, whereas, language centers are only in one area. Music can be the cognitive bridge to keep our minds sharp!
- Reduce Anxiety as Much as Massage: One study found that the effect music produces on anxiety is similar to getting a massage!
- Relax Patients Before Surgery and Ease Stress in Recovery: Music’s calming effect has been shown as a great stress reducer before surgery and a positive way to increase recovery time. This helps you relax and get better sooner!
- Increase Blood Flow: Music has a healthy effect on blood vessel function and can increase blood flow.
- Ease Recovery in Stroke Patients: A research study in Finland concluded that when stroke patients listened to music for two hours a day, their verbal memory and attention improved. It was concluded that they had a more positive mood compared with those who had not listened to music.
- Helps You Eat Less: A study found that playing soft music during a meal helps people slow down while eating, allowing your body to be more mindful of fullness cues.
As you make New Year resolutions, consider ways to add music in your home and your life to maximize a happy and healthy year for you!