Music affects each of us differently. Some people find it helps them fall asleep, others find it helps them with their focus, and still others report a positive influence on their performance in sports.
How music can affect the body, emotions and psyche is the subject of scientific research in psychology and medicine. Studies have shown that mood regulation is an important motivator for us to listen to music. An existing mood can be enhanced by listening to the appropriate music. Mood can also be specifically be manipulated by music. Studies suggested, for example, that certain songs have a positive effect on self-confidence. And further studies showed that especially the music of our youth is formative for us and we remember it particularly well throughout our life. Depending on the style of music, the sounds can make us feel exuberant, melancholic or angry. In addition, music can reduce stress.
Neuroscientists are interested in what happens in our brain while listening to music. Among other things, it has been proven that certain areas of the brain are particularly well-connected and pronounced in music lovers, such as the “corpus callosum”. The corpus callosum serves to exchange information between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, each of which has different functions. A strong connection between the two hemispheres is essential for the coordination of brain functions, which is a prerequisite to process information and for creative or analytical thinking. In addition to the brain, music affects other bodily functions such as breathing and heart rate and can evoke or intensify emotions.
There is also evidence that music can have positive effects in certain diseases, such as depression, Parkinson’s disease, dementia or tinnitus. In these diseases, treatment with music therapy can help stimulate important vital functions. In this form of therapy, various sounds and pieces of music are played to the patient, activating associations with – usually positive – experiences from the past. These experiences contribute to preserve a person’s identity and to reduce anxiety. General mobility can also be playfully improved by active movement to music, thus enhancing quality of life.
Alina and Uli
