Music for health

Ihave often resorted to music for relaxation and prescribe it to patients for managing stress, but my recent escapade with it has been indeed startling.

One recent evening when Neal, our emotional and sensitive 10 year old Labrador was restless and disturbed with the sounds of crackers and thunder, I happened to be exploring various types of music on my Ipad. My desperate search for “relaxing music for dogs” took me to a piano album. When I strated playing it to see if it could indeed calm down Neal, to my surprise, he dozed off withing 5 minutes.

Neuroscientists have shown that some portions of the brain show electrical activity when we listen to music. One of the methods being used by them therefore is to use music to stimulate these portions that have been knocked down by stroke. Indeed regular exposure to music has been shown to enhance recovery of both mental and physical functions in stroke patients.

Music, which started from 7 basic musical notes derived from sounds of nature or songs of various animals, has evolved considerably over time from mere entertainment to a form of therapy. It is being increasingly recognized that music can make a difference not just to our moods and relationships but to our health and recovery.

Our exposure to “music” probably starts from the 20th week in the womb when the baby’s hearing faculties develop, and he “listens” to his mother’s heartbeat. The fluctuations of her heart rate brought on by anxiety, frustration, relaxation or rest are stored in the fetal brain as memories, often reflecting in later years, the moods and attitudes of the twosome.

Adolescents attach great importance to music often huddling as friends or partners based on a common taste or liking to a type of music – slow classical, to rhythmic melodies, to vocal, deep-throated emotional renderings, to pop, jazz or hard rock. This common “taste” often brings together people of similar emotional dispositions, common backgrounds and at times, common intrauterine experiences. Little surprise then that music bonds so well!

The areas where music therapy has been used range from mood disorders in adolescents, learning disorders in children, heart diseases in adults, stress management, recovery from stroke and high blood pressure.

Although there are several techniques of using music as therapy, most schools follow the steps of assessing the patient’s need, studying his backgound and preferences, planning and preparing a varied combination and dose of music – not just listening, but playing or singing, composing and song-writing, and moving to music.

According to the Mayo Clinic, USA, around 3% of adolescents suffer from mood disorders, of whom 1% commit suicide. Those suffering from either variety of mood disorders, depression and bipolar, respond very well to music therapy, reporting emotional, social and dailylife benefits, along with formation of one’s own identity.

The potential of music is waiting to be tapped. Listen to it and let it make a difference to your health and lives. (The writer is an eminent medical specialist, author and social worker)