Table of contents hide 1 The use of music to heal body and soul 2 Music and the brain 3 Music therapy and Visual Processing 4 Memory, attention, and mood
Do you know how music has been used to heal body and soul? We tell you ...
Humans have been making music since they realized that playing two sticks could create an attractive rhythm. Music can foster feelings of joy, unleash our creativity, and is often a key feature of our most enjoyable social gatherings. Always versatile , music can set the tone for romance or relaxation, and can drive us to move our bodies, whether for exercise or self-expression.
In the mid-twentieth century, music therapy emerged as a discipline, and the development of modern technologies has already shed new light on how music can change the structure and function of the brain, improve mood, and help us recover after a stroke.
The use of music to heal body and soul
Music can be the temporary respite you are looking for. More importantly, it can be used as a way to deal with your pain and even help you get even stronger. In times of confusion, exhaustion or pain, it is good to let the song and the melody take over momentarily while resting. Pleasant sounds can be comforting and healing the body and soul, especially in a time of pain; Stress can be lifted from your mind, while the muscles relax and vital signs return to normal. It can also be used as a way to ventilate your feelings and emotions that would otherwise be difficult to release. Music is now widely used for therapeutic effects in the clinical setting and prescribed as a healing tool.
We invite you to take advantage of its natural healing properties and use this melodic renewal remedy at almost any time and any place at no cost.
The music and the brain
One thing we have learned is that music is processed by a number of different areas of the brain, including those involved in spoken language. Learning to play music changes the structure of our brain in a way that is somewhat analogous to how physical exercise tones muscles and makes us stronger and more skilled. A series of studies with healthy and clinical samples have shown temporary cognitive benefits associated with listening to pleasant music, including improvements in the speed of information processing, reasoning, attention, memory, and creativity.
In some studies, verbal material presented in a musical context is learned and remembered better than spoken verbal material. Music therapy has also helped people who have suffered a stroke to improve their gait, mood, speech, social interactions, and to reduce visual neglect.
Music Therapy and Visual Processing
Visual negligence is the inability to recognize objects in a part of the visual field due to lesions in the visual cortex. Specifically, an injury in a hemisphere causes abandonment in the opposite visual field (so a stroke in the left visual cortex would result in a being unable to recognize objects in the right visual field, and vice versa). In a study of stroke patients experiencing visual neglect, listening to pleasant music resulted in a better mood and a statistically significant improvement in their ability to describe the color and shape of geometric objects presented through the computer. . No such effects were observed when patients sat in silence or when they presented themselves with music they did not like.
A more detailed examination with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) confirmed that listening to pleasant music activated a number of different areas of the brain, including those involved in visual processing.
Memory, attention, and mood
The same team conducted another study, this time with 60 patients who had recently suffered a stroke. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a music group, a group of audio books, and a control group that received no intervention . All groups otherwise received standard medical treatments. Those in the two audio groups were allowed to select the music or audio books of their choice and were asked to listen for one hour a day for two months, and then later after the intervention period ended.
Listening to music was associated with a greater recovery of verbal memory and the focus was on the music group compared to the other two. In addition, the participants of the music group were significantly less depressed and confused than those of the control group. This benefit was observed in the first three months of listening.
The act of listening to music has been associated with a number of benefits, including mood, cognition and physical function in healthy people and in clinical samples, such like those who have suffered a stroke.
Those in the music group said that listening helped to relax, increased their motor activity, and improved their mood. Meanwhile, in the music group and in the audio book group, participants said the experiences provide positive stimulation . Preliminary imaging results suggest that listening to music after a stroke can lead to observable changes in the structure and function of the brain that improves recovery.
The researchers speculate that the short-term cognitive benefits of post-stroke music therapy may be related to effects on the brain's reward system and the effects on the neurotransmitter dopamine, but the long-term effect is most likely due to improvements in mood that impact memory and verbal attention. Music can also mitigate the negative effects of stress on the brain and body, and the impact of other neurotransmitters that play a very important role in recovery.
The act of listening to music has been associated with a number of benefits, including mood, cognition and physical function in healthy people and in clinical samples, such like those who have suffered a stroke. Although we are still learning about how and why music helps to heal body and soul, it is worth making time for the music to move your body, occupy the mind and soothe your soul
These are some of the studies and advances that have been made to ensure that music helps to heal body and soul. We recommend listening to music of your liking for at least an hour a day and so, start to notice positive changes in your life.
