MUSIC – Pump up the volume 2nd July 2015 Music Whether you blast your music in the car or stay plugged in to your earphones all day long, you’re bound to have an emotional connection to your music. Science gives us 12 good reasons to keep the music on, always. Music can meaningfully reduce the perceived intensity of pain – as Bob Marley says, ‘One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.’ It can motivate you to work out harder; a study of healthy male varsity students found that the participants worked harder when listening to music while riding stationary bicycles – they also enjoyed the music more. If you’re a runner, you’re more likely to run faster when you’re listening to your favourite tunes – it will also enhance your endurance. After-work-out recovery is quicker if you listen to music after your gym or exercise session. Beat insomnia – it seems that music, especially classical can help with sleep issues. Dim the lights and put on some tunes if you want to cut down on your food intake – people tend to eat less and more slowly when there’s music playing. Increase blood flow to your vessels – scientists say the emotions patients feel while listening to music enhances the way their blood vessels work because of increased blood flow. Listening to slow musical beats can alter brainwave speed, creating brainwave activity similar to when a person is meditating or in a hypnotic state. When you’re feeling down in the dumps, music can help pick you up (much like exercise). Research suggests the kind of music matters: Classical and meditative sounds seem to be particularly uplifting, whereas heavy metal and techno can actually make depressive symptoms worse. Listening to music while you study can actually assist your brain in thinking better – this may be due to an improvement in mood, but who cares, it works. Music reduces anxiety as much as a good massage – so if you want to double the effect, treat yourself to a massage while you’re listening to your favourite music. Beat road rage by playing music in your car – but take note of how particular music makes you feel – you may want to keep the chilled out tunes for driving. Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYou must be logged in to post a comment.