I have to admit that I was planning to write about something completly different, but then NOS ALIVE happened. 3 days filled with music and joy made me think about the effect of music on my mood and the people around me. And when I noticed I was searching about the ability of music affecting our brain.
It is obvious that our mood changes depending on the music or the sounds around us. Who never thought that a party wasn’t that bad only because they played that song? Or felt completly in peace when heard the sound of the ocean?
We know music and sounds in general have impact in our mood, but do we know how it works up there? in our brains? Do we know the impacts of music in there?
Here’s what I found out
Music improves our memory and has a major impact on patients with dimentia and alzheimer
Arts Health Institute in Australia developed a study called Personal Music Program. In this program they gave to a group of patients with dimentia a playlist with the music that was connected with their life memories. These memories were no longer there for them. They didn’t remember anything from their past. However, when the music was playing the reaction was incredible. They started singing and dancing with their heads and hands. Suddenly they remembered the never-ending nights dancing with their friends, a special holiday or a loved one.
This happens because when music is played the area of our brain responsable for our emotion is activated and with it the area of the memory comes along. And once you connect emotion with memory… BAM you have the whole package. All the memories are back thanks to music.
Music stimulates our brain like no other stimulator does. Music awakes our memory, makes us smile, dance and cry.
Who never cried listen to a song because it just remind you a happy moment?
Here a excerpt of a beautiful documentary called Alive Inside. In this documentary of 2014, is shown the benefits of music therapy in people with dimentia and how they come back to life after listen to their favorite song. Take a look!
Music improves our relantionships
Who never felt more connected with a significant other when you surprisly listen to your song, or didn’t feel the urge to call an old friend only because that song happened to be played in the radio?
Well, you already know that music activate our emotion and memory area almost at the same time. So there’s that. What science also tells us is that music increases the level of the harmone and neurotrasmitter oxytocin which is nothing but the “love harmone”. Oxytocin is also released during orgasm and hugging. You can imagine its power.
So what happen when we listen to music? We level of oxytocin increses, we feel comfortable, loved and more open to the people around us. Of course the consequences of these 3 states of mind are nothing but the improvement of our relantionships. We are more caring, happy and open to the people around us when we listen to music with them. Better than that? Singing along!
Studies have also shown that singing together improves the feeling of trust and cooperation amongst people. It also double our levels of oxytocin more than having a simple social interaction.
I don’t know about you but I do remember well my karaoke nights with friends 2 years ago. It might mean something no?
Music reduces stress & improves our performance on a high-pressure situation
Music not only increases the level of oxytocin but also the levels of a neurotrasmitter called dopamine, as known as one of the responsible for our happiness. Music also reduces cortisol – the stress hormone.
When we listen to music we relax, we are less anxious and less stressed because these chemicals levels are gradually increasing. These make us more capable to deal with stress and performance better on high-pressure situation.
Music innhance criativity and focus
All these chemicals having fun in our brain have a major impact in our criativity and focus. Our mind is happy and serene, we are not worrying about something that happened three thousand years ago and makes our mind clear to keep going and focus on what matters. Creativity is also increased because our mind is focus and calm.
We all have a special connection with music. There’s always a song that makes us dance, jump, cry and smile. There’s no doubt that music has an important role in our lives. Music can heal us in the most dificult moments. We can simply close the door and listen to that song over and over again by ourselves and feel its benefits, we can meet friends, lying down in their comfy carpet listening to a whole Pink Floyd album without speaking or we can go on an adventure and learn how to play piano! The options are infinite. You can also look for a professional and start a Music Theraphy program. Follow what makes you feel good! The right way is the one that makes you feel happy and fullfill.
Music has been a very important friend of mine since I was a little pale girl with long black hair. I am aware that some of the songs I love are musically terrible but since they are strighthly connected with beautiful moments of the past, my love is inconditional. There’re also those that I can’t stand anymore even though they are masterpieces, because they represent a not so beautiful past.
All we can say is that music is our friend. We need it to have a focused life and to help us at any given moment.
Here I leave you a compilation of songs connected with my happy and peaceful moments.
May it help you to go through an awful lonely night as well as a beautful day with friends by the beach. But please have always a caring heart and wide open arms to welcome it and understand every single word.