Why Listening To Music Is Great Activity For Brain Health
Shutterstock By Paige McBride/Aug. 13, 2021 11:49 am EST
There’s no question that music can impact our mood. But, it also impacts the way we interact with the world on a deeper level by improving cognitive functioning. Just playing some tunes in the background helps keep your brain sharp and engaged as you age. According to Time, music helps to activate various parts of the brain that are associated with emotional regulation, mood improvement, attention and memory. In turn, each of these leads to better brain health outcomes.
In fact, the mental health benefits of meditation may look a lot like the side effects of listening to music. “Both meditation and music listening are potentially powerful tools for improving overall health and well-being,” Kim Innes, a professor of epidemiology at West Virginia University’s School of Public Health, told the outlet. However, the type of music you play obviously can make a difference — you’re likely not going to feel serene after blasting heavy metal. The outlet notes that some types of music can induce stress and even ruminating thoughts. Since the beats of the songs you play can regulate your heart rate, more intense rhythms can have a negative effect on your emotional state while softer, more relaxed tones do the opposite. However, what people find soothing can be subjective.
Speaking about a study he helped conduct, Daniel Levitin, a professor of psychology, explained, “These were people who normally listened to Swedish speed metal, so to them AC/DC was soothing. There’s no one piece of music that will do the same thing for everyone.”
Why Listening To Music Is Great Activity For Brain Health
Shutterstock
By Paige McBride/Aug. 13, 2021 11:49 am EST
There’s no question that music can impact our mood. But, it also impacts the way we interact with the world on a deeper level by improving cognitive functioning. Just playing some tunes in the background helps keep your brain sharp and engaged as you age. According to Time, music helps to activate various parts of the brain that are associated with emotional regulation, mood improvement, attention and memory. In turn, each of these leads to better brain health outcomes.
In fact, the mental health benefits of meditation may look a lot like the side effects of listening to music. “Both meditation and music listening are potentially powerful tools for improving overall health and well-being,” Kim Innes, a professor of epidemiology at West Virginia University’s School of Public Health, told the outlet. However, the type of music you play obviously can make a difference — you’re likely not going to feel serene after blasting heavy metal. The outlet notes that some types of music can induce stress and even ruminating thoughts. Since the beats of the songs you play can regulate your heart rate, more intense rhythms can have a negative effect on your emotional state while softer, more relaxed tones do the opposite. However, what people find soothing can be subjective.
Speaking about a study he helped conduct, Daniel Levitin, a professor of psychology, explained, “These were people who normally listened to Swedish speed metal, so to them AC/DC was soothing. There’s no one piece of music that will do the same thing for everyone.”
In fact, the mental health benefits of meditation may look a lot like the side effects of listening to music. “Both meditation and music listening are potentially powerful tools for improving overall health and well-being,” Kim Innes, a professor of epidemiology at West Virginia University’s School of Public Health, told the outlet.
However, the type of music you play obviously can make a difference — you’re likely not going to feel serene after blasting heavy metal. The outlet notes that some types of music can induce stress and even ruminating thoughts. Since the beats of the songs you play can regulate your heart rate, more intense rhythms can have a negative effect on your emotional state while softer, more relaxed tones do the opposite. However, what people find soothing can be subjective.
Speaking about a study he helped conduct, Daniel Levitin, a professor of psychology, explained, “These were people who normally listened to Swedish speed metal, so to them AC/DC was soothing. There’s no one piece of music that will do the same thing for everyone.”
