Many believe that without music, life would be less interesting. The impact it has on our emotions and our perception of the world is something that amazes us.
Music is among the most mysterious gifts human beings have.
By Charles Darwin
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Difficult to remain indifferent to music. There are tastes, which can not discussed, but it is rare to find someone who doesn't like it or that is totally insensitive. Reason? Music resembles a form of reward, like food, sex and all that gives us pleasure.
So, what effect does music have on the brain?
PREMISE: A GENETIC QUESTION
A study by the University of Helsinki, published in the journal Neuroscience, shows how changes in dopamine receptors determine how sounds affect mood and emotions. This would explain why people have a different sensitivity to music . There are those who adore and deeply impressed, there are those who remain indifferent or even bother. Therefore, musical language would not be so universal.
From Spain comes another research that has studied the subjects that did not enjoy listening to music. The technical word is " musical anhedonia " and can be caused by organic deficits, or by a different set-up in the reward system. In fact, the brain may prefer other types of gratification. Nothing serious.
TWO THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO YOU WHEN YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC
Research centers all over the world have shown how sounds have the power to influence and activate certain areas of the brain. Not for everyone, we have already seen it, but most of us can derive several benefits and distractions.
- MUSIC AND MOOD
I guess you already knew that a cheerful song conveys joy. You will also have noticed those in the gym pumping with music to charge themselves. That said, it is scientifically proven that certain combinations of sound can establish a bridge between body and mind thanks to the intervention of hormones. Music, therefore, produces physical reactions . You know when you listen to a song and you feel a chill down your back? It happens to the vast majority of us, with greater intensity if you are a curious person.
Ferguson and Sheldon also tested the effects of active and passive listening. Result: the benefits on the mood are greater with careful and conscious listening. Not only. Regularly listening to optimistic songs can make us happier in just 2 weeks.
What you may not know, is that even a sad song can help us get better . The English University of Durham and the Finnish University of Jyväskylä joined forces in a study involving over 2,400 people . Most of them reported feeling better, suggesting to scientists the idea that sad songs adjust mood as if they were therapy. Somehow it helped us to reevaluate our suffering, replacing it with something different. And it seems that it works very well in the sentimental field, when for example the heart is broken.
- MUSIC AND CONCENTRATION
Does music help you work more focused? It depends on different things: gender, rhythm, volume, words and above all from what the listener does. Scientists have indulged by comparing every type of music.
It seems quite certain that silence is the best sound for tasks that require the use of memory . On the other hand, however, repetitive gestures become more effective when accompanied by a non-invasive background . A loud, also has the power to creativity but tired quickly if we need concentration. The same goes for songs that use speech, which tends to steal a little attention compared to the pure sound, and that have continuous changes of pace.
MUSIC AND CREATIVITY
Music and sounds can also stimulate the mind and creativity. According to some studies , the sounds of nature are perfect for developing creative ideas . Working with a background of waves, leaves moved by the wind, streams that flow, can also give us more peace of mind. If you can not take a walk in a park, you can try this 9-hour video . It might sound like a little freakish method. As they say, trying does not cost anything.
For a long time it was believed that classical music was a panacea for creativity. The famous " Mozart effect" has depopulated for a couple of decades, starting in the early 90s, thanks to the theories of Gordon Shaw and Frances Rauscher. The two researchers experimented that those who had listened to a selection of Mozart showed an increase in the IQ of Space Intelligence. Spatial intelligence, among other things, is that which allows us to perceive shapes in space and is one of the strengths of visual artists and painters. However, other researchers never succeeded in replicating these results, reducing the validity of the theory.
What is much more likely, however, is that the study of music helps memory and can be a valid therapeutic tool. Other studies , conducted through the technique of brain imaging, have revealed how musical improvisation activates brain areas associated with language and with some motion sensors.
A Short Video From YouTube
THE RIGHT MUSIC FOR EVERY OCCASION
On the web there are lists with suggestions ranging from the musical genre up to the single song. The idea is that to get certain effects you have to listen to certain songs. Simple and linear. In my opinion, each of us has his tastes and these pre-packaged lists are of little use. What matters is knowing that with the "right" music you can stimulate your mind and creativity . It is then up to you to experiment and choose.
Here is a super-summary of some suggestions:
- classical music is an excellent remedy for anxiety ( if you like listening to it, otherwise you will get bored to death and you may even be bothered )
electronics, at moderate volume, work well with repetitive jobs and help you stay focused
take advantage of the dance or rock when you need a boost of energy and you can not help but concentrate
the sounds of nature, as seen above, can help you enter the creative flow
And, sometimes, remember the magic of silence
