Music has many uses other than just enjoyment. Music can help reduce stress, give energy, help lessen depression, help you body and more. I will discuss in the following paper what music can do for you, and what effects it can have on anyone's way of life and thinking. Music can reduce stress, help the brain focus, and help the healing process. Music is an amazing subject and there are many unknown facts about the way music effects humans and animals.
Music can help reduce stress in humans. First, music takes your brain away from the stress, and the hustle and bustle happening in the world. For example, when I am stressed out about a big test I listening to relaxing music and it helps me study. Since I play the piano, I play to take my mind off of the subject that is stressing me out. Research shows that music reduces stress (Lloyd). Research also shows that since music has a link to our emotions it is a good stress management activity (Collingwood). Knowing that listening to music reduces stress, I find myself thinking when I am stressed I really have to push myself to keep at it, but all I need to do is listen and feel relief. Second, music calms your brain. For instance, I often find myself extremely energetic while doing homework after a soccer practice, and so I listen to music or play piano to calm down. Studies show that music influences the brain to calm down (Collingwood). When tired, listening to music helps relax and can help you sleep. I find sleeping also helps reduce stress. Third, music reduces anxiety. For example, music helps find the feelings behind stress. Stress causes anxiety and music helps reduce the stress (Collingwood). I find myself filled with anxiety when I can't figure something out and that makes me stressed. The music finds the cause of my anxiety or just makes me forget about the problem. In conclusion, music is amazing in the way it can handle daily stress and problems.
Music helps the brain focus. First, when I am distracted I listen to or play music. For example, if I am doing homework and can't focus I go and play a song or two on the piano. Then I go back to my homework and finish it without any distractions. Studies actually show that music calms and focuses the brain to the task that needs to be completed (Collingwood). Second, distraction usually comes in the form of not knowing an answer. For instance, when I am trying to do math and can't find the equation or whatever it is, I listen to music. Research from the University of California found that the brain uses the same paths to process music that it uses to process memories. Another interesting study said that music prevents mind wandering (Collingwood). Both of these studies I think are saying that music helps focus and remember facts hidden deep in the brain. Third, music helps to provoke memories. For example, listening to music helps the brain get into its memories and strangely music works. My Spanish teacher played music during a test and that helped me remember hard words that I forgot. Studies even show that music provokes memories so much that it gets to a point where memories just flood in when the music is thought about (Lloyd). In conclusion, music helps you focus and uncovers memories.
Music helps humans heal. First, music reduces the feeling of pain after surgery. For example, when people are in hospitals they like to have noise. When I think about it, the hospital movement sounds, television, whatever helps the patients heal faster and feel less pain is the patients’ music (Collingwood). Music and healing may seem totally crazy, but if music can help you focus, relive stress, then healing isn't so crazy. I guess it gives patients a more positive outlook and it tricks them like a placebo into thinking that they are healing faster and so that it actually happens. Second, music can lower heart rate, blood pressure, and strengthen the immune system. For instance, music can calm and reduce stress, and both high blood pressure and heart rate are usually caused stress and anxiety. Music can improve your health, breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and immune system (Lloyd). I think all this comes from music giving you a better and more positive mood making you feel better. The immune system is probably being tricked into a healthier and more efficient system by the music too, but if music helps, then there is no problem with, out thinking the brain. In conclusion, music is a great healing placebo.
As I have stated music can be used for more than just personal happiness and fun. Music can heal, lower daily stress, and help focus on the task at hand. Music is an amazing tool that is always accessible in modern society, so it helps make the world a better, less stressed and healthier place. Has music ever proven itself in the history of humans? Music shouldn't be taken for granted, and should be intertwined with the modern world even more because of how useful it actually is.