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Bring back music into your lives!
HEALTH ADDA
Dr Gourdas Choudhuri
Music, which started from seven 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 recognised 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 foetus brain as memories, often reflecting in later years, the moods and attitudes of the two-some.
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 deep-throated emotional vocal renderings, to pop, jazz or hard rock. This common taste often brings together people of similar emotional dispositions, common backgrounds and at times, common intra-uterine experiences. Little surprise then that music bonds so well!
The areas where music has been used as therapy range from mood disorders in adolescents, learning disorders in children, heart diseases in adults, stress management, recovery from stroke and high blood pressure.
According to the Mayo Clinic, USA, around 3% of adolescents suffer from mood disorders, of whom 1% commit suicide. An average American adolescent listens to 4.5 hours of music every day.
Those suffering from either variety of mood disorders, depression and bipolar, respond very well to music therapy, reporting emotional, social and daily-life benefits, along with formation of one’s own identity. It also provides a creative outlet for release or control of emotions, and improves coping behaviour, self-esteem and mood swings.
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.
Bringing back music into your lives, especially in these challenging stressful times, may make a huge difference. Explore its magical powers!
(Writers view are personal)