Music Can Change Your Life
Keep reading to find out the Positive Effects of Music. The positive effects of music can be surprising and powerful at times, changing our moods from sad to happy or excited to memorable. Music, whether enjoyed live or in the privacy of home, is instinctively one of life’s latest joys yet over the past decades, the positive effects of music have come to play an important role in a variety of settings in which healing the body, mind and spirit, is the order of the day. Everyone from people facing depression to those with anxiety, autism, or PTSD, are benefiting from listening and playing music. In this post, we highlight just a few recent findings on that show that what we always suspected is true: the positive effects of music can change your life.
Music Makes us Innovative
A study published in PLOS (September, 2017) found that listening to joyful classical music can help people create more, innovative solutions, than silence can. Researchers believe that the secret lies in the variables in this type of music, which can make our thinking more flexible. Since our complex, fast-changing world requires us to think out of the box almost every day, it is easy to see why it is important to consistently come up with our best ideas. The case is even stronger for musicians, who are working in a very competitive industry and who need to be innovative to bring their music to their target audience. In essence, musicians these days need to be entrepreneurs as much as artists, availing of online promotion to garner interest in their work in new, eye-catching ways. Talent alone isn’t enough to be a success; the way you communicate your message is equally important.
Music Helps Battle Depression
Depression, alongside anxiety, is one of the world’s most prevalent mental conditions. New research shows that the positive effects of music can help us battle the blues, by strengthening interpersonal bonds and helping us create new relationships. While listening to sad music and discussing painful matters can lead to more depression, listening to inspiring music and talking about life in a positive light, can lift our mood and make us feel happier.
Music Has Powerful Effects on the Brain
It doesn’t matter whether you are interested in The Beatles, Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen or Lady Gaga. Your favourite music triggers the same positive effects in your brain, as others experience when they listen to their respective playlists. Scientists recently used functional magnetic resonance imaging, finding that when we listen to music that inspires us, there is a positive effect on brain connectivity – especially on the circuit we use for focused thought, empathy, and self-awareness. Science is proving what we already know that the positive effects of music makes us feel great.
Music Has Lifelong Benefits for Children
There have been so many studies showing that children can benefit greatly from music lessons – for instance, music education has been found to improve reading skills, change the way we perceive the world, and promote diversity (when we listen to music from other cultures). Music also creates new brain fiber connections in children, leading researchers to conclude that it may be useful in treating autism and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Of course, people can actually benefit at any age from music; one study published in the Journal of Neuroscience (May, 2017) found that playing a musical instrument can help older adults retain their listening skills and keep cognitive decline at bay.
The positive effect of music can lift our spirits, help us make new friends, create vital brain connections and help us concentrate and be more self-aware. Recent studies indicate that taking up music as a hobby can bring a wealth of benefits to our lives, regardless of our age, and if we are too busy to study music, even listening to our favorite tracks can make being alive, feel so much better.
Music is All Around Us
Discovering the live experience can be thrilling but this just not have to be at a large venue, it can be right around the corner from us. Music can be found at large holidays like New Year Eve 2018 or July 1st or simply fun Friday nights in the middle of the month. Great music is everywhere. Whether you are looking for upcoming concerts in Los Angeles, live music in New York City or Upcoming Concert Near Me, the positive effects of music are incredibly healing for our soul and spirit.
About the Author:
Cassie Steele is a professional freelance writer with a passion for music and live performance. Prior to her freelance career she worked in music PR and still loves maintaining a connection with the industry. When not working she loves attending live gigs (obviously), hiking and spending time with her family.