What I learned this week:   Another week of sharing what I love and this week it is music.  And I found out that music has so many great benefits.  I share about 3 of those benefits.

One of the great things is that music can improve your mood and it also can help you  process your emotions.  If you are feeling low or just meh a good fun song can really help to improve how you feel and on the flip side when you are feeling sad and need to let those feelings process through you, a good sad song can help you do that.  

“Music therapy provides individuals with a non-verbal outlet for expressing their emotions and feelings. Through music, patients can convey complex emotions that may be difficult to articulate verbally, fostering greater self-awareness and emotional insight.” From this article

Also a great tip was creating a playlist of the mood you want to be in.  That is something we would do alot when getting ready for a soccer game or another type of sporting event.  We call is getting pumped up.   

Listening to music call also help lesson feelings of depression and anxiety.  From this article.  YOU can also create a playlist to help you wind down at night or even help you get ready for the day.  At night you can start with more upbeat songs and then slowly have ones that are more relaxing to you to get your body ready to sleep.  Then you do the same thing but opposite in the morning, start with something more soft and relaxing and then by the time you are ready to go out the door have something that will get you ready for taking on your day.  From this article.

Music can also help your body is many ways.  It can help reduce fatigue.  I know so many times if I am on a road trip and start to feel tired, a good upbeat song can help me feel less tired.  It can also act as a metronome for  your body which can be especially helpful when exercising.  I know a good song get help me run a little faster or get into my workout even more.  Music can also help reduce the feeling of pain, or really it can distract you from the pain.  I know during a few of m pregnancies a good playlist helped me through my labor.  

Music also has such great benefit for your mental health.   “ Listening to calming music or engaging in musical activities can promote relaxation, reduce stress levels, and induce a sense of calmness and tranquility. Music therapy techniques such as deep breathing exercises paired with music can help regulate the autonomic nervous system and promote relaxation responses.” (from this article)

Music can also have a great events on your cognitive function.  And remember in episode 210 when I talked about exercise, combining the two together really can help us with our cognitive function.   “ Music has the power to engage multiple regions of the brain involved in memory, attention, and executive function. Research has shown that music therapy can improve cognitive function in individuals with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, slowing cognitive decline and enhancing quality of life.” (from this article)

Then the article I mentioned earlier about the benefits of music by Health line stated”“Music literally changes the brain. Neurological researchers have found that listening to music triggers the release of several neurochemicals that play a role in brain function and mental health:

• dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure and “reward” centers

• stress hormones like cortisol

• serotonin and other hormones related to immunity

• oxytocin, a chemical that fosters the ability to connect to others”

Music really is so great.  That is just barely getting a surface of all the things it can do to help us, physcially, mentally and emotionally.  

Below are all the articles that I used for this episode.