Music is in all or almost all areas of our lives. When we celebrate something, when we want to train, when we want to relax, etc. It is clear that music is a very important part of our life and that, both for one situation and another, we use it for some purpose.
What happens in the brain when we listen to music
Everything we do in our daily lives has an effect on our brain; physical exercise, diet, the hours we rest, etc. And in the same way, the music too.
What happens in our brain is that there is a reduction of stress-related hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline (although a reduction in the latter hormone was observed in few studies); one was observed reduction of inflammatory proteins that they could have a role in depression and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s; and, finally, it has been observed an increase in hormones related to pleasure such as dopamine and serotonin.
Even so, the authors of this systematic review conclude that there is still a long way to go when it comes to the effects of listening to music on the brain.
What science tells us about music when it comes to relaxing
We currently live in a society in which stress peaks are very high and chronic. Although at first stress could generate more benefits than risks, in a westernized world, the stress generated by our way of living It offers us more harm than good.
For this reason, when faced with high stress peaks, we always try to relax and reduce that aversive state that can cause so many problems in our health, either physiologically or psychologically.
One of the most common ways that people use to relax is through music, butit is really effective?
Another study conducted by Alexandra Linnemann and her team selected 59 students and had them fill out questionnaires in a typical week and during exams and submit samples to see cortisol and alpha-amylated levels. During those days, they had to listen to music and write down their sensations with and without music. The results were that cortisol and alpha-amylated levels were reduced with relaxing music and stress levels decreased if music was listened to.
Finally, a study by Maren Jasmin Cordi and her team found that study participants who listened to music rest improved. This is something very important to keep in mind because one of the main problems that people who suffer from stress have is the lack of rest at bedtime, so it islisten to your favorite music before going to sleepr could be a good strategy to improve rest.
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