Music’s Therapeutic Qualities
In my first blog post, I noted my realization that listening to music regularly seems to help with my anxiety. I’ve never looked into that observation, but I was thrilled to discover that scientists have done a deep-dive into how music affects the brain. New Scientist magazine published an article about neuroscientist Daniel Levitin’s forthcoming book Music as Medicine: How We Can Harness Its Therapeutic Powers (the New Scientist article is behind a paywall, but I found the article in the 11 January 2025 issue borrowed from my library).
Loved the article both for what it tells us and what it doesn’t tell us. Research on how music affects the brain is still ongoing, and it appears there’s a lot we don’t yet understand (I always find it encouraging to know there’s still much to learn because the unknown is what fires up our growth). But what we do understand is intriguing, especially because it’s clear that there are good reasons music makes us happier. Here are some juicy tidbits:
“Numerous studies have shown how different features of music contribute to this synchronisation of brain responses, each is like a strand of a rope that works together to promote synchronisation.”
Music is empowering (autonomy).
Music triggers our brain’s motor system: it gets us moving! When music gets us dancing, it becomes an aerobic activity and also boosts serotonin, which helps with mood and wakefulness (physiological). Music can also help our brains enter a resting, healing state, engaging the default mode network (my suspicion is that this is how it helps with anxiety).
Playing an instrument helps develop hand-eye coordination (growth of nerve pathways) (growth, physiological).
Music can help cure the inability to speak after a stroke. Doctors have found that stroke patients who cannot speak are often able to sing what they want to say. Communication is a key aspect of our social needs.
Music can help Alzheimer’s patients access memories, and our memories are a large part of our identities (esteem).
Music can “make a traumatic memory less powerful… [or] less fearful.” If playing music during reflection, it has the power to change the way we see an event and, therefore, improve the outcome.
This is all fascinating to me, and I am putting Music as Medicine on my To Read list. Have you noticed a connection between music and your happiness? What is your go-to music when you need a boost to your mood?