Music… A Step To Building Healthy Lifestyles

For most of us, music is a big part of our lives.

Listening to music puts us in different moods – it can make us happy or bring us down. We listen to music to relax after a hard day’s work, while studying, or to just have a quiet spiritual moment. Studies show that listening to music releases endorphins - our natural 'feel good' hormones that lift our mood. It also gives us motivation to carry on longer when exercising.

For many people suffering from memory loss the spoken language has become meaningless. Music can help patients remember tunes or songs and get in touch with their history. This is because part of the brain which processes music, is located next to memory. Research shows that people with memory loss respond best to music of their choice.

Music also plays an important role in a country’s culture. Multiple cultures have different ways to express themselves through their music. Every culture in the world has its own form of music that is enjoyed by all ages on every continent. Although each culture is different, music unifies all races and has been used throughout history for different occasions and for enjoyment purposes. Music prompts people in every culture around the world to dance and express how they feel with movement. Music is also used as a form of communication between cultures to express oneself without having fear or intimidation.

Have you ever considered that music brings a host of health benefits? One of the only activities that activates stimulates and uses the entire brain is MUSIC.  More and more research conducted globally confirms this fact. In a study conducted in Canada in 2011 children between the ages of 4 to 6 participated in a music program, which consisted of rhythm, pitch, voice, and musical concepts.  The results showed improved cognitive benefits enhancing their ability to understand words and explain their meaning.

Similarly, scientific research studies conducted on older adults actively engaging in music making have shown significant results such as reduction in depression, loneliness, anger, anxiety, increase in self esteem, ability to build new friendships, improved listening skills, and reduced stress.

As we age, building healthy lifestyles and maintaining overall wellness is essential to being self-sufficient, living independently, participating in society, and preventing the development of disease and negative health conditions. Sadly, people with disabilities typically have poorer health and drastically higher rates of obesity and related conditions than the general population (US Centers for Disease Control 2010). Learning how to make healthy choices early in life can improve an individual’s chances for forming long-term life-sustaining habits.

Music is a way to stay healthy, improve wellbeing, and provide loads of fun.

So, go out and make joyful music!

Arlene de Silva is a Sri Lankan born American. She is CEO of Global Music & Wellness www.musicandwellness.net a non-profit organization based in the US with a mission to promote a culture of wellness through evidence based recreational music making, visual art, and cultural dance. In 2008, she founded the Cincinnati Music & Wellness Coalition, the nation’s first community-wide recreational music making coalition which includes over 100 organizations, physicians, and musicians from cities in five states in the US, Switzerland and Sri Lanka, that share a common goal, and serve multiple populations. She has over 30 years experience as a senior executive in the non-profit sector, and age care industry both in the US and internationally. She holds degrees in both finance and music.