“Life seems to go without effort when I am filled with music,” George Eliot once said.
Every year around this time, my mom and dad would bring out our Christmas albums.
I grew up listening to Andy Williams, Perry Como and Gene Autry. I didn’t even realize they sang other songs other than those related to Christmas until I was older.
When I hear or think of those songs now, my mind goes back to those happy Christmas memories. That got me thinking: What is it about music that makes us feel things, both good and not so good? How does music affect our brains?
What about a favorite song that you can listen to repeatedly? We all have at least one or two. I was reading a magazine lately that talked about the impact music has on our lives. We seem to have always used music to soothe ourselves, remind us of something, give joy or make us cry. We just seem to intuitively understand that music makes our lives better.
We sing to our children to comfort them. We celebrate with music. Music brings out strong emotions. Music is deeply woven into the fabric of what it means to be human.
It has been said that music is the universal language that transcends boundaries. But what is it about music that has such a powerful impact on our brains?
In a 2008 Journal of Biology article titled “Music Memory and the Brain,” experts talked about this very issue.
Listening to music helps blood flow to the brain regions that generate and control emotions. The limbic system of the brain, which is involved in processing emotions and controlling memory, “lights” up when we hear music.
Those chills that you feel from a deeply moving musical piece are probably due to the dopamine increase, the neurotransmitter that enhances mood.
The more you play that piece of music, your brain will trigger dopamine, the feel-good hormone, response by just hearing the first few notes. So that’s why we listen to songs over and over again.
Studies have proven that people who have suffered strokes or other brain injuries benefit and recover better when they are exposed to music. Music is also involved in pain relief. It has the ability to distract us when our center of attention is on what we are listening to rather than focusing on that gnawing pain.
Music increases our sense of security and wellbeing, according to one study by the American Psychological Association. The same study talks about vibroacoustic therapy, which uses low frequency sounds to produce vibrations that are applied directly to the body. At least seven studies have shown improvement in motor function in individuals with cerebral palsy. That’s pretty cool.
Music has regenerative effects on the brain called “cerebral plasticity.”
Playing an instrument or actively engaging with music increases our overall cognitive health. According to the study I cited earlier, music “activates a diverse network of brain regions, including memory, emotion and the motor system.”
Music just isn’t an auditory delightful experience; it’s a powerful elixir for our brains. So, whether you're listening to your favorite Christmas songs, tapping your feet to an interesting beat or losing yourself in a melodic, soulful melody, realize that music is nourishing your mind and soul and enriching your life.
Break out those old Christmas tunes you loved and lose yourself — with a cup of hot cocoa, of course — in the warm memories of Christmas!
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Richard Stride is the current CEO of Cascade Community Healthcare. He can be reached at drstride@icloud.com.
