Music Connects Us

Listening to music is a powerful way of uniting people:

• National anthems connect crowds at sporting events.
• Hymns build group identity in houses of worship.
• Love songs help prospective partners bond during courtship.
• Lullabies enable parents and infants to develop secure attachments.

Music’s Effects on the Mind

• Listening to music engages your brain – you can see the active areas light up in MRI scans.
• It can improve memory. Music memory is one of the brain functions most resistant to dementia.
• It can help treat mental illness. Listening to music triggers the release of several neurochemicals that play a role in brain function and mental health.
  • Dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure and “reward” centers.
  • Serotonin and other hormones related to immunity.
  • Oxytocin, a chemical that fosters the ability to connect to others.

Music’s Effects on Mood

It has the power to change moods and help people process their feelings.

• It can help lower anxiety.
• The body releases less cortisol, a stress hormone, when people listen to music.
• Listening to relaxing music after a stressful event can help your nervous system recover faster.
• It helps the symptoms of depression-nostalgic sad tunes can actually increase symptoms of depression, especially if you tend to ruminate or withdraw socially.

Music’s Effects on the Body

• Listening to music can your alter:
  • Breath rate, heart rate, blood pressure, depending on the music’s intensity and tempo.
• Working out with music:
  • Improves your mood.
  • Helps your body exercise more efficiently,
  • Cuts down on your awareness of exertion.
  • Leads to longer workouts – syncing your workout to music can allow you to reach peak performance using less oxygen than if you did the same workout without the beat.
  • Music can help manage pain – music helps people manage both acute and chronic pain better than medication alone.