Music as Medicine: Exploring the Many Health Benefits
When you get into your car, you probably turn on the radio to listen to music while you’re behind the wheel. But, have you ever wondered why this is a natural instinct? Intuitively, you know that listening to music is enjoyable. To help explain why we are naturally drawn to music, scientists have been researching how music affects us mentally and physically. Music and Stress Relief While you can’t eliminate stressful situations, you can choose healthy ways to cope. And, learning how to deal with stress is a powerful tool to help protect your health (and sobriety). In fact, stress has been associated with high instances of heart disease, obesity and depression. To explore the health benefits of music as a tool in stress-reduction, many neuroscientists are researching how music can be used as a holistic therapy to treat anxiety. Daniel Levitin is a psychologist studying the neuroscience of music at McGill University in Montreal. Levitin and team are actively working to better understand ...