Music. It soothes the soul, lifts us up, and reminds us of days gone by, old friends and good memories. It motivates us to get moving. Or it helps us relax. It doesn’t matter what kind of music you like. Music is the universal language, and we all have different tastes. My music collection can best be described as “eclectic”. From 80’s hits, celtic music, music with a distinctly “Eastern” feel to it, to great anthems I like to belt out when I’m home alone. The point is, whatever music you enjoy listening to, crank it up and enjoy it.
There are certain songs that I call the “Soundtrack Of My Life”. Songs that I will never grow tired of. I think we all have at least one. Listening to music actually does affect different areas of our brains. We can have emotional reactions (either perceived or actually felt) to the music we listen to, even in short pieces. Perceived emotion means we can understand the emotion behind a piece of music. Some studies even suggest that your favourite genre of music can predict your personality. I wonder what it would say about me, as I don’t have one favourite genre… And learning to read music or play an instrument improves learning, motor skills and auditory processing, among other things.
Music is an integral part of our everyday lives. It keeps us company while we ride the bus, jog or do the housework. It brings people together, and helps us cope with life’s many challenges. It even has therapeutic effects on our minds and bodies, promoting healing and boosting our immune systems.
Research suggests that we should listen to music every day to gain its many benefits. I think that is especially true while we are sitting around waiting out the Coronavirus pandemic, and going a little stir crazy. Play some music while gardening or reading a book. Or crank the tunes and get up and dance around your living room! However you like to enjoy it, I bet you’ll feel a bit better with some music therapy today!
“Without music, life would be a mistake” – Friedrich Nietzsche
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