Since ancient times, music has been popular as a means to soothe human senses, bring happiness and as a mode of celebration. Music has the power to lift one’s spirits; it can enhance concentration in kids, reduce stress and improve social and communication skills.
No wonder that music was brought in as a scientific tool in the health sciences as well. The profession of music therapy started primarily after World War II when stress, anxiety and various other physical and mental illnesses were at their peak. The main advantage of music therapy is that it is dynamic and can be used in a variety of settings.
Incredible Benefits of Music Therapy:
Music therapy is a powerful tool in the field of positive psychology. It is also used as a stand-alone intervention as well as in conjunction with traditional treatments. The benefits of music therapy are immense – let us examine a few of them:
1] Reduces Anxiety and Stress:
Philosophers from ancient times, such as Aristotle knew about the benefits of music therapy for stress. The buzz has always been around. However, the scientific and psychological implications for modern-day medicine were initially proposed by Sigmund Freud.
Music therapy can help reduce the effects of stress and anxiety in a variety of ways – it can improve one’s mood, self-esteem, vitality and personality. Polychronopoulou & Divaris(2005) also conducted a study related to this aspect. They concluded that when people are involved in activities that they consider as being fun, physiological factors such as respiration rate, blood pressure and heart rate also decrease.
2] Improves Healing:
One of the pros of music therapy is that it can open your heart and mind. It makes you feel more connected to your inner feelings and the people around you. It is like a direct line to your emotions and state of being.
Many scientific studies have concluded that the benefits of music therapy include aiding in reduced muscle tension, more skilful verbalization and successful emotional release. All of these factors contribute to a speedy healing process. Music therapy has also been found to make the process of healing easier for people with substance abuse disorder and mental health issues.
Moreover, music therapy also eases anxiety and discomfort during medical procedures.
3] Helps Manage Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease:
In a study conducted by Maria Gomez Gallego and Juan Gomez Garcia (2017) on the benefits of music therapy, significant improvements were observed in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s Disease who underwent music therapy for 6 weeks. These improvements were in the areas of memory, orientation, depression and anxiety. The levels of irritability, agitation, hallucinations, delirium and language disorders also improved.
Similarly, for Parkinson’s Disease, therapists have observed a significant improvement in their patients’ movement symptoms, cognitive issues, speech and mental health. Various types of music therapy are used, such as dance programs, drumming, choirs, etc. Music therapy helps people with Parkinson’s Disease express their creativity, maintain function and experience an overall better quality of life.
4] Helps in Restoring Lost Speech:
One of the pros of music therapy is that it can help people who are currently recovering from a traumatic brain injury or a stroke that might have damaged the left side of the brain responsible for speech. There is a certain theory of how music therapy can work in this aspect.
The ability to sing originates on the left side of people’s brains. People suffering from loss of speech can work around the injury towards the left side of their brain. They first sing the song and then gradually drop the melody.
This technique was used by a former US representative to testify before a Congressional committee. She had a gunshot wound to her brain, which ruined her ability to speak.
5] Aids Pain Relief:
The pros of music therapy also include its ability to help in pain relief. The effects of music therapy on pain has been tested out in a variety of patients – ranging from intense short-term pain to people suffering from chronic pain due to arthritis. In various studies, it was found that music therapy helps to reduce the perception of pain, relieve depression in patients with pain and gives them an enhanced sense of control over the pain. Moreover, the amount of pain medication required was also found to go down.
These amazing benefits of music therapy make us very hopeful about the current status of our health sciences and the direction that they are going in. Almost every day there is a new research study contributing to this wonderful topic. It makes us realize how beautiful music is and how amazing is its contribution to the field of health.
Let us all take a pledge to support this incredible cause!