Tuned In: How Music Shapes Our Minds.

A Startling Impact

          For nearly the last year of her life, my mother resided in a facility for those who suffered from significant memory deficits. When I visited her, the residents would sleep, wander aimlessly, stare into space, or look down at the floor. Even during activities such as playing games, many would appear to be in a daze, with very few being able to participate fully.

          One day, as I entered the facility, I saw a band performing vintage rock and roll hits. I was astounded to see the residents dancing and singing highly animatedly. Many seated sang along, and I noted that no one was sleeping. It was amazing to see people who had been consistently lethargic and acting in a daze acting vibrantly.

          My mother was among the residents signing along. I had never seen her sing so excitedly before.

          Unfortunately, after the concert ended, the excitement faded away. The residents became immobile, returning to their sleep states and appearing as if they were in a stupor. As was usually the case, no one was interacting with each other.

          The difference with and without music was like night and day!

What Music Can Do For Us

          I know from experience that when I hear a song I like and allow myself to get lost in the music and sing along, my mood elevates. When I write, I often like to have music playing on my Alexa as it helps keep me alert and motivated.

          Music can be a compelling force. How many of us have been at a concert, and when a well-known song is performed, the audience erupts in applause and sings along.

          Something about music indeed resonates with us on a visceral level.

          A recent study, as reported by Harvard Medical School, had some fascinating findings on the impact of music.

The Brain’s Response to Music

          Music activates various brain regions, profoundly impacting brain function. Music activates our auditory cortex, allowing us to hear music, but that is just the start.

          Music also activates the regions of the brain that allow us to process and experience emotion. Upbeat music impacts our brains differently than sad music. Music also activates the motor regions of our brains, as seen when we unknowingly tap our feet or move our heads or arms in time to a song.

          Since music can activate different brain regions, it can strengthen neural pathways and networks, including those involved in various functions, such as learning, quality of life, cognitive functioning, and even happiness.

          Current research shows how music may impact child language, attention, cognition, and social-emotional development. Studies confirm that children who study music have stronger memory skills and the ability to tolerate frustration better as they have to work diligently to learn the musical pieces.

          Those children who study music have greater neural connectivity of the corpus callosum, the structure that connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Also, the brain structures related to processing language and auditory data are more developed.

          Music can also contribute to the brain releasing a hormone, oxytocin, which helps create stronger social bonds with others by fostering feelings of trust. Related to this is the finding that music activates the brain area, which helps us understand what others are thinking and feeling and creates states of empathy toward others.

          A fascinating effect of music is that research shows it can help engender creative thinking. In one study, people who listened to music were more creative in their problem-solving skills than those who did not. This was particularly true for those who listened to upbeat, happy music.

          There is some evidence that listening to music can actually reduce pain. Patients who experienced pain were presented with music, while another group did not have music. Those in the first group had significantly less pain. Possible explanations may be that music can reduce stress and stimulate the release of dopamine, a hormone that elevates mood.

Music And Mental Illness

          Research on the impact of music on treating mental illness is very promising. A survey of over three thousand adults reported that listening to music had a significant impact on lowering their levels of depression and anxiety. Another study demonstrated that Alzheimer’s patients who sing regularly can have improved verbal fluency and memory skills.

          Another study demonstrated that for senior citizens, singing in a group reduced feelings of loneliness and had greater interest in life activities. Research is ongoing on how people with schizophrenia who write and perform music can help improve their social interactions.

          Evidence also exists that people recovering from physical illness or invasive surgery can have their recovery hastened as well as have their mental health improved by listening to music daily.

Music Enhances Everyday Life

          A recent survey of adults aged eighteen and older on how music impacts their lives revealed the following.

·        One-third of adults ages 18 and older spend half their time or more listening to background music while doing everyday activities.

·        Music listeners had higher scores for mental well-being and slightly reduced levels of anxiety and depression compared to people overall.

·        Of survey respondents who currently attend musical performances, 69% rated their brain health as “excellent” or “very good,” compared to 58% for those who went in the past and 52% for those who never attended.

·        Of those who reported often being exposed to music as a child, 68% rated their ability to learn new things as “excellent” or “very good,” compared to 50% of those not exposed to music.

·        Active musical engagement for those over age 50 was associated with higher rates of happiness and good cognitive function.

·        Adults with no early music exposure but who currently engage in some music appreciation show above-average mental well-being scores.

A Final Word

          I will never forget a fourth grader in a school I worked in who had significant expressive language problems. He was unable to form sentences of an age-appropriate length. One day, while sitting next to him in his class, a rap song was playing, and he spontaneously began singing in perfect timing to the song’s long and fluent sentences. His teacher and I were amazed!

 His teacher soon began to incorporate music into his language lessons, and a vast improvement was seen in his verbal productivity.

          Given the evidence of how music impacts humans, the words of the musician Bono sum it up best,

“Music can change the world because it can change people.”