The Power of Music

THE POWER OF MUSIC

Photo of Kanye West performing during the Yeezus Tour via http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Kanye_Live_Yeezus_Tour.jpg

Music is a wondrous thing. It is nearly impossible to go a whole day without hearing music in one form or another. We listen to music for many different occasions such as passing the time during your commute, when you are feeling down, in the gym to get pumped up, and many more.  Music has been around for a long time, dating back at least 60,000 years where it is believed neanderthals uses their hands and stones to create a cacophony of sounds. Since then, music has evolved tremendously and has branched into many different genres including rock and roll, jazz, rap, and reggae. You may be listening to music right now while you are reading this post and you may not know the many different ways music contorts your mind.

An array of musical notes via https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR6oLHko_dQCEMnTcrhJqaKPxjSGRpX0G8elwWz0oZvJjJ5rZ4-tg

One of the way music influences us is that it can make us express certain emotions. This is due to the fact that music fires off neurons that make us feel a certain way. This explains why we feel down after listening to sad songs and other emotions for other types of music.

When we have to write a long paper for school, some of us tend to turn to loud music to help us get into the zone to hammer it out. This may not be the best way to go about things however. One study has indicated that milder noise levels can help boost your productivity and creativity. This is one way music can be beneficial for everyone. So you may want to give Tchaikovsky or Beethoven a listen next time you have an important assignment or exam.

Another great benefit of music is that it can help people with coronary heart disease relieve stress and reduce blood pressure, which significantly lowers their chances of disease complications, including death.

Music has many effects on the brain. Image via http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/IEatBrainz.png

Another great thing about music is that it can help us exercise.  Faster music leads to more effort, and the optimal range is between 120 to 140 beats per minute (bpm). People often synchronize themselves to the beat of the music, so a faster beat leads to quicker movements and increased power output

An interesting video on the effects of music on the brain..

In the end, music is a great tool in our every day lives and should be utilized to our benefit. There are many positives that can come out of listening to music it is truly amazing. There are some possible downsides however. Constant exposure to loud music can cause loss of hearing down the road and music can also distract us during crucial times such as driving. That being said, if you are cautious about your music listening habits, there is no end to the possible positive outcomes.

By: Zohaib Mahmood

 REFERENCES:

http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/665048

http://blog.bufferapp.com/music-and-the-brain

http://english.eastday.com/e/top10/u1a5573540.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/01/why-exercise-workout-music-playlist_n_4173931.html

http://www.webmd.com/balance/music-therapy