Music, Mood and Health  

We all have a general assumption that health and wellbeing can be improved through exercise and good nutrition, this assumption is not wrong. However there are plenty of other tools at our disposal to help us feel good. 
 
Music
At this point I would like to bring your attention to the power of Music. No matter who you are and under what conditions we all enjoy certain sounds and music. Not only does music bring enjoyment it has also been shown to affect the following (Campbell, D 1997, Dr Mercola, 2008):
·         Mood
·         Intelligence
·         Behaviour
·         Rest and relaxation
·         Creativity
·         Imagination
·         Motivation
·         Positive Thinking
·         Self-esteem and self-realisation
 
In addition, it is also a great way to make exercise that bit more enjoyable.
 
Improve the quality of day-to-days lives
Music has been shown to make us happy… do you agree? Think about the last time you put on your favourite song and sang your heart out. I personally really believe in the power that music has in making us feel good. Depression is an illness that affects a large percent of the population at some point in their lives, it is also linked with obesity which in turn could lead to diabetes, cancer, and other diseases. Listening to your favourite music can bring feelings of happiness and contentment. A combination of music and exercise is great for fighting depression which, in turn, will help provide the motivation to fight obesity. 
 
Don Campbell (1997) author of The Mozart Effect, explains how different genres of music can have different effects on your mood:
 
Classical – Improve concentration, memory, and spatial perception.
Jazz, Blues, Soul, Reggae – uplift and inspire, release deep joy and sadness, convey wit and irony, and affirm our common humanity.
Pop, Country and Western – inspire movement, engage the emotions, and create a sense of wellbeing.
Ambient, New Age with no dominant rhythm – elongates our sense of space and time and can introduce a state of relaxed alertness.
Rock (rock/pop e.g. Elvis or Michael Jackson) - stimulate active movement, release tension and mask pain. It can also create tension dissonance, stress and pain in the body when we’re not in the mood to here it!
Heavy metal, punk, rap, hip hop – excite the nervous system, leading to dynamic behaviour and self expression.
 
What can You do?
You can improve your day-to-day life with something which is inexpensive, non-invasive and readily at your disposal. Why not give one or all of the following a try. Stressed at work? Have a sound break, take a 10 minute break and listen to music that relaxes you but also helps you focus and gives you confidence and motivation. If you’re worried about your day why not wake yourself up to songs that make you feel good and listen to them on the way to work.
 
The general conclusion here is you need to find out what makes you happy, if music isn’t the answer, no problem, something else is and it’s up to you to find it. If you feel music will help you then experiment with different kinds you enjoy as not everyone of course will have the same reaction to a certain type of music.
 
If you would like to discuss this topic further or any other general wellbeing topic please do not hesitate to get in touch with the born2move team, we’re more than happy to help.
No: 08454503073         email: info@born2move.co.uk

References:
 
1. Campbell, Don (1997) ‘The Mozart Effect, tapping the power of music to heal the body, strengthen the mind, and unlock the creative spirit’ Hodder Mobius
2. Dr Mercola (2008) ‘The Amazing power of music revealed’ November 04 2008 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/11/04/the-amazing-power-of-music-revealed.aspx