People are enamored with music. It touches our souls in profound ways that words alone cannot equal. It stirs our imagination, invigorates our bodies, and transforms our moods. It can lift us up or overwhelm us with emotion. It can make us feel down in the dumps or over the moon. It can pump us up, and it can calm us down.
Billy Joel, the famous American songwriter and performer, once said. “I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.”
There is no doubt: music can indeed heal. People with brain injuries such as a stroke, for example, have had success with music therapy. It can activate their brain in alternative ways. It often bypasses the damaged areas, allowing people to regain movement or speech. In this way, music actually changes the structure of the brain. It gives people new chances to move and speak.
Also, studies have shown that music therapy can lower the stress hormone cortisol. It can also increase the pleasure hormone dopamine. It can improve heart and breathing rates, as well as anxiety and pain in cancer patients. In the field of psychology, music has been used to help people suffering from depression and sadness. Also, for children with developmental disabilities, music can be healing.
Therapist Yvonne Russell has seen firsthand the power of music to heal the elderly. Henry, an old man, was living in a nursing home. Like some people his age, Henry was suffering from dementia. He forgot things easily and has lost many of his mental abilities. In fact, Henry lived in his own world, often unresponsive to other people. But when Yvonne gave him an iPod with his favorite blasts from the past, he instantly began to sing and sway to the music. His lifeless face became transformed with energy. His eyes came alive with emotion as he listened to music. While he was mostly mute for years, after listening to music he was suddenly able to shoot the breeze with the people around him. Music breathed life into his body and mind. According to Neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, “Henry is restored to himself. He has remembered who he is and has reacquired his identity for a while through the power of music.”
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_therapy
https://psychcentral.com/lib/music-therapy-may-aid-brain-damaged-patients/
People love music. It touches us in deep ways that words alone cannot. It stirs our imagination, makes our bodies move, and can change our moods. Music can lift us up or overwhelm us with emotion. It can make us feel down in the dumps or over the moon. It can pump us up, and it can calm us down.
Billy Joel once said, “I think music in itself is healing.” The famous singer believes it’s something we are all touched by. “Everyone loves music.”
There is no doubt that music can indeed heal. People with brain damage, for example, have had success with music. It can activate their brains in different ways. It often allows people to regain movement or speech. In this way, music actually changes the brain. It gives people new chances to move and speak.
Studies have shown that music can lower stress and increase pleasure. It can improve heart and breathing rates, as well as anxiety and pain. Music has also helped people suffering from depression and sadness. Also, for children with health problems, music can be healing.
Music also has the power to heal the elderly. Henry, an old man, was living in a nursing home. Like some people his age, Henry was suffering from dementia. He forgot things and has lost many of his mental abilities. In fact, Henry lived in his own world, often unable to talk with other people. But when given an iPod with his favorite blasts from the past, he began to sing and move to the music. His face became filled with energy. His eyes came alive with emotion as he listened to music. Henry was quiet for years. But after listening to music, he was able to shoot the breeze with the people around him. Music breathed life into his body and mind. According to Dr. Oliver Sacks, Henry has remembered who he is. He has found his identity through the power of music.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_therapy
https://psychcentral.com/lib/music-therapy-may-aid-brain-damaged-patients/
Thank you for supporting us!