A link between music and its positive influence on the overall health of people is not a new idea; in fact, there are numerous scientific researches that prove this notion. Still, we do not need scientists to tell us that we feel better when we listen to some great beats – our body experiences happiness, excitement and almost a feverish feeling that, actually, has nothing to do with the actual fever. But, is there something more to music, aside from its apparent soul-healing and hip-activating effect?
Scientifically Proven
According to psychologist Daniel J. Levitin, PhD, from McGill University in Montreal, considering and understanding music as a cure for physical ailments is a relatively new domain. However, even though a rather fresh perspective, already a number of analyses showed that music does affect our bodies even more than we previously thought. In fact, the meta-analysis of 400 studies that was conducted by Levitin and his postgraduate research fellow Mona Lisa Chanda, PhD, showed that music improves the body’s immune system function and reduces stress. Some even argue that listening to music is even more effective than prescription drugs in lowering anxiety before surgery.
Music as Therapy
As a way of distracting attention, music proved to be extremely successful around children who are about to be exposed to a stressful event or surgery, but music can help adult patients as well. Nowadays, any modern health center should be open to discuss this topic with patients and offer music therapy as an additional or alternative method of medical treatment. For modern general practice, music therapy is one of the best and creative clinical interventions that were established to realize individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by using music. It is considered to be part of expressive therapy, also known as creative arts therapy, where creative arts are used as a form of therapy. Unlike traditional art expression, the process of creation is in focus rather than the final product. Foundation of the expressive therapy is the idea that people can heal through use of imagination and the various forms of creative expression.
Music as Cure in Modern Health Centers
Latest research regarding the role of music in medicine is going even one step further than before – their notion, which was recently supported by the scientific proof, tested groups of patients with Parkinson’s disease. The study conducted at Johns Hopkins came to the conclusion that group singing improved quality of life and voice strength and clarity in patients with Parkinson’s disease. The idea that music proved to be one of the key elements in someone’s wellbeing is not only exciting but also gives hope that there can be space for a lot more surprises from things, feelings and objects that constantly surround us. Let’s hope that we can be the generation that revolutionizes music and gives it a totally different meaning!