Literally everyone loves music, what’s not to like about it? It’s great to listen to while doing mundane tasks or partying with your friends. While most people see music as just something that stimulates the brain, it in fact does far more than that as it actually has health benefits as well. Yes, music has health benefits. In this article we’re going to show you 10 health benefits of music that will improve your life and make listening to music feel so much better.
- Motivates fitness
Anyone who works-out while listening to music knows how motivating and energizing it is. Music stimulates your brain which makes you want to go harder and for longer in your fitness endeavours. Music can also help distract the brain from fatigue while doing strenuous exercise which also contributes to longer exercise times. Good music for work-outs and exercise are high-tempo as it jolts your mood upwards and puts you in a fast rhythm. In particular, rap, rock, hip-hop, some pop and others. Generally slow music like classical is great for other things, but due to the sluggish pace it can physically slow you down. So if you ever need an extra boost while hitting the gym or going out for a run, put on some headphones with some high-tempo beats and you will do better than ever.
- Reduces stress
After a big day at work or a stressful event, music can help calm those nerves and put you in a more relaxed state. Slow, soothing music helps distract the brain from stressful thoughts and creates a more calm atmosphere. Like how high-tempo music can motivate you to go harder and longer during a work-out, low tempo music motivates the brain to be more mindful and laid back. When you are stressed, your brain is rampant. The slow tempo of the music gradually brings the brain down to a good speed where you can think of things clearly and with clarity. Good music for this is classical, jazz, piano and some digital synth tracks.
- Lessens insomnia
Insomnia is a debilitating condition that affects many in getting to sleep and staying asleep. This not only ruins sleep, but due to the lack of rest, can ruin the next day as well. One way that helps improve getting to sleep is listening to classical music. While this doesn’t cure insomnia, it can help out a fair bit and every bit counts. Not only does this trick apply to insomniacs, but it works for everyone and can help you get to sleep faster. The reason for this is that classical music relaxes the brain due to its slow nature and pleasing melodies. This relaxes the brain and of course the more relaxed your brain is, the easier it is to fall asleep. So next time you’re going to bed, play some classical music and see how it helps you out.
- Greatens mood
No one likes being in a bad mood. You make poor decisions, feel terrible, and do things that you will later on regret. On the other hand, being in a good mood means you are in the optimal headspace and will make good decisions and feel great. Of course being in a good mood is what you want and there’s an easy trick to get that, listening to music. Listening to happy, uplifting music makes you more happy and uplifted, it’s that simple. Of course, it’s the same way with sad music which can put you in a sad mood. There’s no reason to not want to be in a good mood and happy music is an easy, accessible way to get there.
- Improves cognitive abilities
Background music during heavy tasks such as writing, math, or anything that requires a bit of brainpower is found to improve cognitive tasks and focus. Of course this doesn’t apply to all music, but generally something that is mellow and has no vocals should do the trick. One study found that background music during an exam makes participants complete it in a faster time and with better results, what’s not to like about that. Not only will you do better in your cognitive tasks, but also do it faster.
So next time you are at home doing some work, put some chill music on and see the difference.
- Good effect on blood vessel function
So while many of the great effects are mental such as a better mood and less stress, it can also help physically too. One of these instances is that music has a good effect on blood vessel function. In a study, scientists played music and patients’ blood flow in their blood vessels increased. This is due to the fact that music made them more happy which made the blood flow greater. So if you need to get your blood pumping, just play some music.
- Improves memory
Many people these days wish they had a better memory, well by listening to music your memory will be improved. Since music improves memory, it also improves learning ability so is great for studying. One experiment titled the Mozart Effect found that when participants listened to Mozart before a hard task they were more likely to solve it. This is due to the memory abilities that are given by Mozart’s music. A good memory is an invaluable thing to have, so having a good memory is something one should strive for which can be accomplished in part by listening to music.
- Eases pain
One poor thing about exercise and being active is that injuries and pain are imminent. No one likes physical pain and luckily there is a way to make the pain less excruciating and more bearable. This can be done simply by paying calming, relaxing music. Due to the highly stimulating nature of music, the brain is distracted from the pain and more focused on the music, this makes the perceived pain feel a lot more tame. This is a nifty tip that will reduce some suffering in the future and it is incredibly easy.
- Helps the body recover quicker
After a workout, exercise, or lifting weights good recovery is essential and necessary to be able to do it again tomorrow and to not feel in pain. There are many different techniques and ways to speed up recovery like having a good night’s sleep and stretching, but there is also a way that may surprise you. One way to speed up post-workout recovery is by listening to music, it’s that easy. The study that found these interesting findings also found that slow music also added the benefit of better relaxation. For general post-workout recovery however, they found that any kind of music works for faster recovery. So if you want to feel a bit better after being active, put some music on and relax.
- Helps you eat less
It seems like everyone these days is trying to eat less, especially since the new year has only recently commenced. Eating less is a great way to a healthier lifestyle, but many of the tools and tactics used are simply not very effective. Fortunately, there is one way that is effective and amazingly easy as well. One study found that simply by playing music along with dimming the lights made participants eat notably less. Not only did it help people eat less, but it helped them eat slower. Eating slower results in better digestion and hydration as well as more weight loss, what’s not to like about that. So next time you eat a meal, try playing some music and dimming the lights and see if you eat less than you usually would.
Overall, there are a crazy amount of health benefits to music and this article only showed a fraction. Whether you want to improve your memory or reduce stress, music will help you out and in a way that is fun and enjoyable. So next time you put on your headphones just know that you’re doing more than just stimulating your brain, you’re getting great health benefits too.
