Music is influential in many people’s lives, no matter the genre. The melodies can make you laugh, cry, soothe your anxiety or make you relax. And while most people listen to music for entertainment, listening to it might be good for your heart, too. Make no mistake, daily doses of Beethoven won’t clear your arteries or fix a damaged heart valve, but music therapy has shown to ease recovery from cardiac procedures, possibly lower blood pressure and more.
Healing Harmonies
Music has been historically praised for its connection to healing. In ancient Greece, music was used to ease stress, promote sleep and soothe pain, and Native Americans and Africans used singing and chanting as part of healing rituals. Music therapists are slowly bringing art to the science of medicine, demonstrating the value of music for helping people recover from strokes, heart attacks, dementia and more. Music therapy has been shown to:
- Help the heart contract and push blood through the body
- Lower blood pressure
- Reduce the heart rate, breathing rate and oxygen demands
- Relieve stress and improve mood
Classical music, for example, has been linked to increasing learning capabilities, lowering blood pressure, stress reduction and pain management.
While most researchers have studied the effects of music in changes in blood pressure, heart rate and blood flow, some have looked into the more holistic effects of music. At Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, the people who listened to music soon after undergoing cardiac surgery were less anxious and reported having less pain than those who rested quietly. Another study at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee found that heart attack survivors who listened to restful music for just 20 minutes were less anxious about their health than those who rested without music.
DIY Music Therapy
Incorporating music into your life can change your mood and might even be good for your health, so consider implementing a DIY music therapy program at home with these tips:
- Choose music that makes you feel good
- Set time in your day to actively listen to music without distraction
- Rotate the type of music you listen to — some days choose relaxing, calm music and the others pick a playlist full of pick-me-ups
To learn more about music therapy or to find a music therapist, visit the American Music Therapy Association.
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