The Effect of Music on Human Health and Brain Growth.

(Before started reading the article, please play the the music and feel the difference.)

Introduction.

According to Oxford dictionary, music means the instrumental or vocal sounds or both combined in such a way to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression.

Music is an art, entertainment, pleasure, meditation and a medicine for the soul and the body. All the cultures and the people have universal responses to it.

"But too loud or too jarring a music distracts and is not beneficial as it competes for attention."

1.Brain.

Like few other activities, the music involves the use of the whole brain. It improves memory, attention, physical coordination and mental development. The classical music stimulates the regeneration of brain cells.

Certain music improves the mood, intelligence, motivation and concentration. It also improves the quality of life and aids in physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs. It helps in the treatment of autism, dementia, Alzheimer’s, chronic pain, emotional trauma, mental disorders, and depression. Music decreases anxiety, anger, stress, and frustration.

2.Music for heart and kidneys.

Music has therapeutic properties. The patients who listened to music during and after open heart surgery recovered soon.

The researchers at Tokyo University in Japan performed heart surgery on a group of male mice to study the effects of different types of music on their recovery. The mice were exposed to Verdi’s music, Mozart sonatas and the songs of an Irish singer En-ya. In first two cases, the mice lived twenty days longer than those without music or with single frequency tone or of the third group. The immune system of control group rejected the foreign tissues.

3.Music Increases the Productivity of Beasts.

British farmer Steve Led sham was surprised when his chickens started laying eight eggs a week instead of the usual four. This increase seemed to coincide with the building of a new barn where Weber's music was being played to entertain the workers. This music relaxed the birds and increased egg production.

4.Music Increases the milk yield of cows.

The cows produced more milk when they listened to calming music. Researchers at the University of Leicester exposed Frisian cattle to different types of music for twelve hours a day for 60 days. The slow music like the Pastoral Symphony of Beethoven and the Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel’s increased the milk production by about 3%.

5.Music Affects the Cortisol Levels.

The stress hormones namely cortisol and adrenaline are secreted by the adrenal glands in response to Adrenocorticotropic hormone or ACTH. The ACTH, composed of 39 amino acids is the primary stimulation for the production for of adrenal cortisol. It is synthesized by the pituitary in the hypothalamus in the brain in response to corticotropin-releasing hormone.

6.Music Boosts the Immune System.

An emotional response of the secretion of immune-boosting hormones is induced by certain music. Music decreases the stress-related hormone cortisol, the increased levels of which weaken the immune system. Hence the chances of illness get reduced.

7.Health Effects of Indian and Chinese Classical Music.

According to Indian Ayurveda and the Chinese system of traditional medicines, the music supplements treatments and gives emotional and mental strength during illnesses. The health and illness are referred to as harmony and disharmony respectively.

Certain musical compositions have been fond of being beneficial for specific illness and disharmony. But the effects of specific music are different for different people. The music may alleviate the depression or illness, or it may be ineffective due to the dissimilar liking for music, personality or health differences and the context of listening etc.

The Chinese system assigns the characteristics like rate, width, strength, rhythm, regularity, elasticity, profile etc. to the pulse. These qualities are closely related to mind and emotions and cause changes in the physical, digestive and nervous system. The music has been found to affect the pulse.

Ayurveda mentions the effects of different sounds on the different chakras (physical levels) as follows.

1. The higher frequencies affect the head region.

2. The lower frequencies affect the base of the spine and lower abdomen.

3. The intermediate frequencies affect the chest and neck.

The Music with 60 beats per minute is very effective, as it is close to the relaxed pulse rate.

8.What is Gandharave Veda.

The ancient Indian literature is known as Vedic literature. It encompasses all realms of life, both temporal or secular and sacred or religious. Most of the sacred literature in India consider Vedas as the source from which they have drawn inspiration from. The four Vedas are,

1. Rigveda

2. Yajurveda

3. Atharvaveda

4. Samveda

There are the following four secondary texts or Upavedas related to the Vedas respectively.

1. Ayurveda (It is the text on living, healing, and herbal medicines)

2. Dhanurveda (It is the text on statecraft, martial art, and war)

3. SthapatyaVeda (It is the text on architecture, sculpture, and art)

4. Gandharva Veda (It is the text on all art forms including music, dance, and poetry)

Gandharva Veda refers to Gandharvas as singers in the court of Gods with superb musical skills. In the absence of written accounts, the oral tradition has preserved the Vedas and the ancient music in its completeness.

          Proofs of the Effects of Gandhava Veda Music

The Vedic music affects the consciousness, behavior, physiology, and environment. The following studies scientifically prove its authenticity to influence the physical and mental health of the individual.

1. The researchers in the US analyzed the electric potential energy of the brain during the listening of Vedic music and found that the frequencies between the range of 4–8 increased.

2. Another study in the US too confirmed that the music balanced physiology decreased tension and irritability, caused less lethargy and increased the activity of the brain.

3. In the early 1950’s, an Indian Botanist Dr. T. C. N. Singh proved the effects of sounds on the metabolism of plant cells. He found that the plant protoplasm moved faster under sound effects. He proved that the Gandharva Veda music affects the growth, flowering, fruiting, and seed-yields of plants. The Charukesi Raga increased the crop yield from 25% to 60%; and increased the chromosome count of certain species of water plants.

4. The Sound and Music of Plants (De Vorss and Company, 1973) documented the research that the monotonous rock music played for several hours destroyed the plants. The Western classical music had mixed effects, while the plants flourished in Gandharva Veda music.

5. The Secret Life of Plants (Harper and Row, 1989) also documented the research that the plants close to the source of the sound of Gandharva Veda music virtually embraced the loudspeaker, while they moved away from the source of hard-rock music.

Other Health Benefits of Music.

 

1..Postpartum Health

Music decreases the post-natal nervousness and pain, reduces the chances of depression during the postpartum period and increases the childbirth satisfaction.

2..Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing a ringing sound when no external sound is present. But music prevents tinnitus from becoming a chronic condition when used in early stages.

3..Music improves Physical and Athletic Performance

The stimulating music helps to move, walk and dance. It increases the athletic performance and helps in the performance of exercises by reducing the feeling of fatigue and psychologically increasing the response of arousal and relaxation.

The rhythms of music move the body and restore the physical functions. It reduces the muscle tension and improves the body coordination. It can also help during the disability of movement.

4..Fatigue fighter

The cheerful music gives extra energy and could reduce the fatigue. But too much pop and hard rock leave one more frazzled than energized. Change the music to classical, pop, jazz etc. to find the most beneficial one.

5..Improves Efficiency

Several people listen to music while working as it helps to perform better and increase productivity. The journal of Neuroscience of Behavior and Physiology confirms that the ability to recognize visual images, including letters and numbers becomes faster with rock or classical music.

6..Insomnia

The soft classical music or Bach calms the thoughts and relaxes the muscles and senses to induce sleep. Listening to music for half an hour provides sound sleep as it reduces blood pressure, heart rate, respiration and the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.

7..Depression and Blues

The high beats of music reduce the negative emotions and distract the attention from stress. It improves the mood, heals the soul and lifts the spirits due to psychotherapeutic benefits. The cheerful tones of Mozart, Vivaldi, bluegrass, Klezmer, Salsa, reggae, etc. are beneficial in blues. According to the British Journal of Advanced Nursing, the music reduces depression by 25%.

8..Anti-anxiety

Music is best for preoperative anxiety and the anxiety related to dental procedures. It reduces post-surgical stress and pain and decreased the symptoms of depression in elderly people.

9..Mood

The favorite and upbeat music boosts the mood and increases the work efficiency by giving happiness. The workers work fast and come up with novel ideas than those having no control over the choice of music. It makes us more optimistic, joyful, friendly and relaxed.

10..Pain relief

The music can reduce the sensation and distress of chronic and postoperative pain. According to the British Journal of Advanced Nursing, the music reduces the pain of osteoarthritis, disc problems and rheumatoid arthritis by 21% and supplements the use of anesthesia during surgery.

The music affects the pain by creating a revulsive effect or gives a sense of control or induces the body to release endorphin which neutralizes pain or by decelerating the breathing and heartbeat.

Future Research

The researchers confirm the beliefs of ancient physicians and philosophers that the music has physiological and psychological effects.

But more clinical research into the qualities, nature and the effects of music on different people is needed. The quality of sound reproduction equipment or digitally generated jitters need further explorations. Besides classical or rock, other musical compositions should also be found.

The Chinese and Indian systems could help in classifying the types of music beneficial for health.

Disclaimer

This article provides information about the effects of music on health. It is not intended to replace the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of diseases. Consult a trained health professional for any serious acute or chronic health concern.

"But too loud or too jarring a music distracts and is not 

beneficial as it competes for attention."














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