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Music Heals

I drive home from school after a rough day, wanting nothing else but to plug in my AUX

cord and listen to Lana Del Rey’s soothing voice. I sing along to the words and hum to the

instrumentals, marveling at how a wave of calm washes over me when I listen to music. After

getting home, I take a short nap and go downstairs to practice piano. I open my music to

Moonlight Sonata and remember how my piano teacher said “you don’t want this to sound like

Chinese water torture.” With that in mind, I smirk to myself, take a deep breath, and begin

playing, focusing on bringing out the melody in my left hand as my fingers skid across the

smooth, cool keys. After playing, I stand up and go to my desk to begin my homework. As I read

and write, I listen to my classical playlist, complete with the brilliant works of Chopin, Mozart,

Beethoven, Debussy, and Bach. As I tire from my homework, I go downstairs to take a break and

see a green binder with music sticking out of it, entitled “My Singing Binder.” I pick it up and

grin, remembering my brief stint in taking singing lessons freshman year, and decide to play and

sing the first one I see, which happened to be my heart will go on by Celine Dion. I begin to play

the opening theme, I smile as I am still able to play it perfectly. As I open my mouth to begin

singing, I am awash with calmness as the stress of my looming AP tests, the fact that I do not

understand Economics, my job, and college all fade into the back of my mind; my migraine that I

had been complaining about throughout the day seems to have abated. When I am finished I feel

refreshed and ready to resume my homework.

Through my experience with playing and listening to music, I have noticed that I feel

more focused, happier, and sometimes physically healed. I seem to either be playing or listening

to music for the majority of the day, and it definitely improves mood and happiness. For my
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paper, I decided to research the benefits of music on cognitive, emotional, and physical health. I

first heard about music therapy over the summer while watching a TV show, in which an autistic

boy was being treated through playing and singing to music. I was intrigued when I looked it up

and discovered that it was a real thing, so when senior project rolled around I knew what I

wanted to research and write about.

Performing and listening to music often proves effective in the treatment of cognitive

disorders. In autism spectrum disorders, difficulty communicating, as well as feeling and

expressing emotions are key features. In a study​ by the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences of the

University of Trento​, researchers had one group with ASD listen to sad music and another listen

to happy music and found that “​despite the generally impaired perception of emotions of ASD

individuals in social situations, we demonstrated that they do possess relatively intact perception

of emotions when listening to music” (University of Trento). Music is beneficial for those with

ASD, as it aids clients in facilitating communication and processing and appropriately expressing

emotions. Additionally, music therapy can provide a platform for those without verbal abilities to

communicate, and leads to development in verbal communication, language, and speech.

Performing and listening to music provides for auditory, tactile, vestibular, visual, and

proprioceptive stimulation, which helps organize a patient’s sensory system (Music Therapy

Association).

Performing music may also be beneficial cognitively for those without therapeutic needs.

While there is no evidence that listening to music passively makes a long-term difference in

intelligence or mental acuity, children who have learned to play an instrument have a more

robust brainstem and an improved memory (Dewar). In an interview with Shirley Rogers, a
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professor of music theory for 25 years and piano teacher, Rogers said that “​memorizing music

and playing in front of people is a huge step in your brain, and making your fingers do what your

brain tells them they are supposed to do dramatically improved coordination and memory in

other activities as well.” She went on to explain that younger children are more receptive in

learning to play music because they have greater neuroplasticity and less trouble memorizing

music and playing in front of people than in adults who learn a musical instrument.

A somewhat controversial topic in the relationship between music and intelligence is the

Mozart Effect. This idea was born after a researcher, ​Rauscher, tested individuals who had

listened to Mozart’s compositions for 10 minutes and those who did not, and discovered that

those who did had significantly better spatial reasoning skills for a duration of 10-15 minutes

after listening to the music. While this experiment was only measuring short-term effects, a later

study gave one group of preschoolers keyboard lessons for 6 months and gave the other group

computer lessons. The students with keyboard lessons were found to score 30% higher on tests

on spatial-temporal reasoning than those who had not. Further studies also identified a positive

relationship between piano playing and high scores on math tests (Jenkins). The Mozart Effect

proves controversial as the effects of the original experiment had been grossly exaggerated and

commercialized. People were starting to believe that all one needs to do is listen to classical

music to become a genius, which is utterly false. While simply listening to Mozart proved to

only temporarily improve cognitive intelligence, learning, playing, and singing music has been

found to improve memory, language, and math skills (Moore).

Learning to play and create music is proven to be more beneficial to toddlers and young

children than reading to them. In creating music, whether it's improvising a beat on the drums or
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making up a song, a child will exhibit improvements in attention, numeracy, and social skills.

The longer one takes lessons as a child, the more beneficial those skills acquired will be in

adulthood. These include language acquisition, memory, motor skills, and listening. Learning to

play music is particularly beneficial with math because it teaches children proportional thinking

and disassembling parts of a song (the notes) and playing it all together in a piece. Another skill

that carries on into almost every arena of adult and academic life is discipline. Learning music

pieces requires a great amount of unwavering attention on the particular task at hand, as one

focuses on playing the right notes, dynamics, and rhythm, while also expressing emotion ​(The

Benefits of Music and Music Education on Children’s Brains)​.

While playing music helps math and language abilities, music also can have positive

emotional benefits. Music can elevate mood and create peak emotions, which in turn release

dopamine, which controls the the brain’s pleasure centers. “​Music can evoke the deepest

emotions in people and help us process fear, grief, sadness, and resentment, even if these

emotions are held on a ​subconscious level​” (Goldstein). A hormone, Oxytocin, which is related

to feelings of comfort and bonding, can be released through singing, which explains why a

mother singing to her baby is considered a significant bonding experience. A study in the Journal

of Consumer research found that people prefer to listen to sad music when they are experiencing

a loss because it serves as a substitute for the thing or relationship they lost. A study in the

Journal of Positive Psychology suggests that listening to positive music improved participants

moods and happiness. Additionally, “A recent review in the ​World Journal of Psychiatry​ found

that music therapy can be an effective treatment for mood disorders related to neurological

conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, dementia, stroke, and multiple sclerosis” (Boothby).
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In an orchestra created for people with dementia, a researcher at the Bournemouth University

Dementia Institute explained that working together in performing music improved

communication, friendship, support, and enhanced the lives of the participants (Boothby).

Music is a universal form of communication and can even be more powerful than

language, as it is more involved in motivation, reward, and emotion. “​Music has the ability to

conjure up images and feelings that need not necessarily be directly reflected in memory”

(Mohana). One can feel emotions that they had not felt before from a personal experience simply

by listening to music and anticipating what may come next in a piece. ​A study in 2006 found that

music decreased depression and reduced pain in adults with chronic pain (Harvard Medical

School). “Upbeat music can make you feel more optimistic and positive about life. A slower

tempo can quiet your mind and relax your muscles, making you feel soothed while releasing the

stress of the day. Music is effective for relaxation and stress management” (University of

Nevada, Reno). In an interview with Lelyanne Zeidan, a college student who has studied and

composed music for the last eight years, Ms. Zeidan said that “composing music was the perfect

medium for me to allow my creativity to grow and flourish.” She also mentioned that

“composing music helped clear my mind when I was plagued by other issues and made the

solutions to completely unrelated problems, both in my life and academics, seem so much more

clear.” The feeling of a “eureka” moment occurs when one is focused on a different task, which

allows for one to come up with a sudden, creative solution for a problem one has often been

agonizing over for a while (Lopez-Gonzalez).

Listening to and playing music helps to mask unpleasant feelings, and can provide a

sense of harmony and equilibrium. Learning to play an instrument creates a balance between the
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logical left hemisphere and the creative right hemisphere of the brain. Based on the style and

tempo of music, music can affect one’s blood pressure, heartbeat, and pulse rate. The faster the

tempo of the music, the faster the heart beats, and the slower the tempo, the slower it beats. A

lower heart rate is associated with lower blood pressure, and less physical tension and stress. In a

study of expectant mothers in Taiwan, researchers found that mothers showed reductions in

stress, anxiety, and depression after listening to music by Beethoven, Debussy, and Brahms.

Music also causes stress hormones, such as ​ACTH, prolactin, and human growth hormone​ to

decline, often leading to a decrease or elimination of the need for medications. Additionally,

music can boost one’s immune system. This is because listening to music causes the increase in

levels of interleukin, “which ​are a family of proteins associated with blood and platelet

production, lymphocyte stimulation, and cellular protection against AIDS, cancer, and other

diseases” (Campbell 72).

Listening to and playing music can be beneficial in patients undergoing surgery. A study

in 2011 on the neurochemistry of music found that listening to music improved cancer patients’

immune systems and lowered anxiety. The study found that “music increases an antibody that

plays an important role in immunity of the mucous system, known as immunoglobulin A, as well

as natural killer cell counts” (Glynn) and it also lowers levels of cortisol, which leads to a

decrease in stress. It is best to listen to music before, during, and after surgery, and it can work

similarly to pain-relieving drugs.

Although there is no solid evidence proving that listening to music improves one’s

performance in exercise, listening to music increases the enjoyment of those who work out,

motivating them to keep working out. Listening to music can be used as a warm-up to working
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out as it increases respiration and provides the motivation for one to begin working out. Many

prefer to listen to fast-paced, upbeat music when working out, while slower music can actually

decrease performance. Listening to music can also distract oneself from unpleasant feelings or

sensations during working out, such as shortness of breath or sore muscles. This allows one to

work out harder and longer than they otherwise would had they not been listening to music

(Kravitz).

My place visit was to my advancement performance for level eight of Certificate of

Merit. As I sat nervously in the waiting room to perform, my palms were sweating profusely.

The host was a nice, older women who came over to me after she saw how nervous I looked. We

talked for almost a half an hour when I was waiting, and she told me about how she had been

teaching piano for over 30 years and was in her late 60’s. She talked about her compositions and

the pieces that she was playing at the moment, and I was surprised by how sharp and energetic

she was when recalling memories from decades ago at her age. I told her I was a senior and she

enthusiastically and proudly stated that three of her students who she’s taught since elementary

school will now be attending Stanford, Harvard, and Princeton, with all three of them also

participating in sports. It was interesting that all three of these students, who had played piano

consistently from a young age, were significantly better intellectually and even physically than

others their age. While I am not saying it is 100% because of them playing piano, there is

definitely a link, as demonstrated by the numerous studies, linking playing an instrument to

increased cognitive and physical ability, as well as emotional benefits.

Through my own experience, the experiences of professionals, and various studies, it is

clear that listening to and playing music can prove to be beneficial for cognitive, emotional, and
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physical health. While the perceived Mozart effect is temporary, the skills learned through

studying and playing music, as well as the brain’s development from playing music certainly are

not. Music can help anyone from prenatal babies to seniors suffering with dementia. Learning to

play music helps those with mental disabilities, but can also help people acquire language,

numeracy, social skills, and discipline. Music can even be used as a substitute for pain,

depression, and anxiety medication. Listening to music can help those recovering from surgery,

builds the immune system in cancer patients, and can serve as a warm-up to working out. It can

help one emotionally by regulating stress-hormones and providing a sense of relaxation, safety,

and a distraction. People who listen to music while exercising often are able to work out harder

and for longer, possibly due to increased enjoyment, motivation, and the distraction from

discomfort while working out.

Works Cited

Books:
Campbell, Don G. ​The Mozart Effect: Tapping the Power of Music to Heal the Body, Strengthen
the Mind, and Unlock the Creative Spirit​. Hodder Mobius, 2002.

Kallen, Stuart A. ​The Instruments of Music​. Lucent Books, a Part of Gale Cengage Learning,
2013.
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Websites:
“American Music Therapy Association.” ​American Music Therapy Association | American
Music Therapy Association (AMTA)​, ​www.musictherapy.org/​.

“The Benefits of Music and Music Education on Children's Brains.” ​Raise Smart Kid​, 5 Oct.
2016,
www.raisesmartkid.com/all-ages/1-articles/16-the-effect-of-music-on-childrens-intelligence.

Boothby, Suzanne . “How Does Music Affect Your Mood and Emotions.” ​Healthline​, Healthline
Media, 13 Apr. 2017,
www.healthline.com/health-news/mental-listening-to-music-lifts-or-reinforces-mood-051713#6.

Caria, Andrea, et al. “Functional and Dysfunctional Brain Circuits Underlying Emotional
Processing of Music in Autism Spectrum Disorders | Cerebral Cortex | Oxford Academic.” ​OUP
Academic​, Oxford University Press, 28 Apr. 2011,
academic.oup.com/cercor/article/21/12/2838/299898.

Glynn, Sarah. “Music Benefits Both Mental And Physical Health.” ​Medical News Today​,
MediLexicon International, 29 Mar. 2013, ​www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/258383.php​.

Goldstein, Barry. “4 Surprising Ways That Music Changes Your Brain and Influences Your
Mood.” ​Music and the Brain: How Music Affects & Elevates Your Mood​, Conscious Lifestyle,
26 July 2017, www.consciouslifestylemag.com/music-and-the-brain-affects-mood/.

“How Music Affects the Body.” ​SuperConsciousness Magazine​, 23 Feb. 2011,

www.superconsciousness.com/topics/art/how-music-affects-body​.

Jenkins, J S. “The Mozart Effect.” ​Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine​, The Royal Society
of Medicine, Apr. 2001, ​www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1281386/​.

Kravitz, Len. “The Effects of Music on Exercise.” ​Music and Exercise​,

www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/musicexercise.html​.

Lopez-Gonzalez, Monica. “Musical Creativity and the Brain.” ​The Dana Foundation​, 22 Feb.
2012, dana.org/Cerebrum/2012/Musical_Creativity_and_the_Brain/.

Mohana, Malini. “Music & How It Impacts Your Brain, Emotions.” ​Psych Central​, 17 July
2016, psychcentral.com/lib/music-how-it-impacts-your-brain-emotions/.

Moore, Kimberly Sena. “The Mozart Effect Doesn't Work...” ​Psychology Today​, Sussex
Publishers,
www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-musical-self/201005/the-mozart-effect-doesnt-work​.
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Panksepp, J., & Trevarthen, C. (2009). The neuroscience of emotion in music. In S. Malloch &
C. Trevarthen (Eds.), ​Communicative musicality: Exploring the basis of human companionship
(pp. 105-146). New York, NY, US: Oxford University Press.

Podolsky, Edward. “Music and Health.” ​Canadian Medical Association Journal​, U.S. National
Library of Medicine, Feb. 1934, ​www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC403235/?page=1​.

Publishing, Harvard Health. “Music and Health.” ​Harvard Health​, July 2011,
www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/music-and-health​.

“Releasing Stress Through the Power of Music.” ​Releasing Stress Through the Power of Music |
Counseling Services | University of Nevada, Reno​,
www.unr.edu/counseling/virtual-relaxation-room/releasing-stress-through-the-power-of-music.

Rogers, Shirley. Music Professor and Teacher. Personal Interview. 24 February 2018.

Schäfer, Thomas, et al. “The psychological functions of music listening.” ​Frontiers in

Psychology​, Frontiers Media S.A., 13 Aug. 2013,
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3741536/​.

“The Piano Heals the Spirit and Soothes the Soul.” ​Pianonet​,
pianonet.com/all-about-pianos/benefits-of-playing/the-piano-heals-the-spirit-and-soothes-the-sou

Warren, Molly. “NAMI.” ​Home​, 19 Dec. 2016,

www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/December-2016/The-Impact-of-Music-Therapy-on-Mental-H
ealth​.

Zeidan, Lelyanne. Music Student. Personal Interview. 2 March 2018.