Music for Health & Wellbeing

Relaxation & Therapy Music DownloadsUsing Music Therapeutically - Adobe document (including Mindfulness of Music)Music affects our thoughts, feelings and behaviours.  The rhythm can affect our bodies so that our pulse and respirations are in time with the music's beat or rhythm.  Music can relax or energise, and certain pieces of music can affect us in deeply personal ways.  Whilst most of us listen to music, making music can be a very effective means of expression.  It’s also great for our self-esteem and confidence. Music can be listened to, used as a means of expression, or performed.You don’t have to be a “musician” to enjoy playing an instrument.  We can improvise with any instrument and anything else too!  Hammer handles make great claves, broom handles and dustbins (and lids), saucepans, small branches from a tree, plastic bottle filled with rice, hardboard as a “wobble board” – just a few examples!  Sing! How many of us sing in the bath/shower – wonderfully uninhibited and expressive.  Go for it!There are different kinds of music for all tastes – classical, pop, rock, rap, jazz, folk – each culture, each generation, has its own style.  Music is very personal and affects individuals in different ways.  Different parts of the body resonate to different sounds and pitches, and most significantly, certain kinds of music can powerfully effect the human spirit or soul.  We can listen to music anywhere and everywhere.Those who make music with voice or instrument experience an added dimension to life, but many who might make music do not do so perhaps through lack of confidence.Music is able to cut across boundaries, through language, culture, age and religion.Music is already therapy worldwide, whether through making music or listening.  It is an important part of spiritual life.  Most significant religious traditions use music to help create the mood for prayer, worship, reverence or joyful celebration. Listening to music can change your mood – sometimes dramatically.  If you’re feeling low, it’s tempting to play slow sad music, but this can make you feel worse.  An uplifting tune or cheerful song can improve your energy levels and your emotional well being.  However, music is very personal to each of us, and what affects one person in one way, may affect someone else very differently.  You probably have some idea of what affects you and how, but you can experiment and try out different pieces of music.Music in film and television shows us how music can affect mood.  A romantic drama would have a very different filmscore to a thriller.  The old “silent” films originally had a pianist in the cinema playing along, trying to strike the right mood.  At times, when watching a film or TV programme, you know what’s about to happen because of the music being played – you can anticipate the terror, such as in “Jaws”.Tunes such as “Pomp and Circumstance” (Land of Hope and Glory), will instil great pride and patriotism.It has been shown that “musak” – background music – can affect our shopping habits, encouraging us to spend more money.  A survey by the Psychology Department at Leicester University (website) showed how music can affect the products we buy.  For a set period of time they played French music, and watching with a video camera directed at the wine shelves, showed a significant  increase in the number of bottles of French wine being sold.  They then played a German tune, which showed the same results with German wine.  The buyers seemed unaware of the influence of the music.Scientists have shown how even hens are happier and produce more eggs when played calming music!Playing Mozart when studying is said to increase our IQ.  (Weblink) Another study showed that children who learn a musical instrument are much quicker at developing spatial awareness and problem solving skills.There are times when we might feel like taking our temper out on a set of drums, and it would almost certainly help us to feel better.  Relaxation (or New Age) music has a slow rhythm.  Sounds are often synthesised and there may be added natural sounds, such as whalesong, birdsong, waves or gentle rain to help produce a feeling of calm and relaxation. An article appeared in ‘best’ dated 2 February 1999, with the headline ‘Musical Minds’:  “Adults who had musical training as children have better word recall, a recent study has found.  Researchers say that women who went to music lessons for at least six years before the age of 12 were significantly better at remembering words than those who hadn’t.  Music could also be beneficial in treating memory loss or language difficulties.” McDonalds did their own research, which showed that we eat according to the speed of the music being played. Therefore, when a restaurant is busy, with a queue building up, McDonalds plays fast music, thus ensuring that the customers will eat quickly, and leave the restaurant sooner, freeing up the table for the next customers.UK schools found that classrooms are much calmer with relaxing background music, with even the most “unruly” child being able to work and concentrate better.  They have been (quietly) playing a variety of music that children wouldn’t normally listen to such as classical and traditional music from all over the world.     A teacher in Wales used Mozart's music with similar effect -  Learning with Mozart