Five Ways Music Benefits Our Brains and Well Being

Not only does music add to the richness and enjoyment of our daily lives, but it also deeply impacts the health of our brains, emotions, and bodies.

Extensive studies have revealed that both listening and playing music has the ability to both entertain and heal. Countless experts have investigated how engaging with music can potentially have therapeutic effects on a range of mental and physical health conditions, and can help us cope with many challenges presented in everyday life.

Why might this be? As we listen to and create music, literal vibrations and sound currents move through our bodies and signal the cerebral cortex of the brain. So, tone, pitch, and rhythm, do more than make us want to sing or dance, they benefit our health.

Here’s a peek into how quality music education and nurturing a love for music fosters valuable skills, academic performance and overall well being. Check out these five music benefits:

Music Benefit #1: Improves Creativity

If you are in need of creative inspiration, ambient, low level music may get the creative juices flowing. While high noise levels, such as your favorite rock ballad or dance tunes, can overwhelm our brain’s capacity to process information efficiently, studies show that moderate noise levels can help stimulate our abstract processing skills, allowing our brains an increased capacity for creativity.  Whether you’re searching for artistic inspiration, or a clever solution to a difficult problem at hand, a bit of ambient, low level music, may help focus your brain to help you access those creative approaches.

Music Benefit #2: Improves Focus & Concentration

Some think that music can be a distraction, however you may be surprised to know that, if you pick the right style of music for the task at hand, it can actually provide major benefits. Playing music whilst working can actually improve one’s focus, by activating and lighting up the brain's attention center. Music can also boost your concentration by reducing stress levels and enhancing relaxation. The more relaxed you are, the likelier you are to feel comfortable and thus able to focus on the task at hand.

Music Benefit # 3: Boosts Relaxation and Eases Stress

Research into the effects of music on stress suggest that listening to music can lower our heart rate and cortisol levels, whilst releasing endorphins which help improve our overall sense of well-being. And if you’re a musician, practicing music with clear, repetitive rhythmic patterns can help anchor the mind, reduce stress, and enhance concentration. The repetitive and predictable nature of rhythmic pieces creates an almost meditative state, which supports sustained attention and creates a sense of control and stability, ultimately boosting relaxation and focus.

Music Benefit #4: Improves Child Development

Recent studies have shown that children who had at least 3-5 years of musical training showed signs of advanced fine motor and reasoning skills, as well higher functioning auditory discrimination abilities. Those same children also displayed higher vocabulary and nonverbal reasoning skills, crucial to being able to understand and analyze visual information.

Music Benefit #5: Improves Auditory Processing, Language Skills and Executive Function

Playing a musical instrument stimulates areas in the brain responsible for motor skills, auditory processing, and memory. Studies have even found that musicians exhibit larger brain volume in certain regions associated with auditory processing and executive functions when compared to non-musicians. One such study conducted at Northwestern University revealed that music training improves the neural processing of speech, leading to enhanced language skills in children. This finding underscores the broader cognitive benefits of music education, as language proficiency is crucial for academic success across various subjects.

The transformative power of music extends far beyond its artistic appeal. Scientific research has demonstrated its incredible impact on brain development, processing skills, academic performance, and overall well being. Providing quality music education and nurturing a love for music fosters valuable skills, academic performance and overall well being.