You probably have heard the statement"Music is medicine" or probably felt lighter after listening to a song from your favorite track. As puzzling as the statement can be, there's a science behind its healing effect, and its impact on mental health. Words and sounds have an effect on the mind, and this is because our mind processes words and sound and transmits them to the soul. A man's body is connected with the soul and mind, so whatever affects one, affects the other. If it heals the mind, it heals the soul and also the mind, vice versa and this is why people encourage one to digest words that uplift the mind.
The brain is wired with thousands and millions of nerves, all responding to stimulus which is translated to the brain and the brain in response translates it to the part of the body the messages are targeted. Just like stimulus and messages, sounds is also carried by the brain and it interact with the mind. Once the interaction aligns with our thoughts, it either bring relief or cause us more pain. Good news are medicine to the soul, so are certain music which speaks good tiding with flows of rhymes and sounds.
Music is a pleasing sound, and whatever is pleasing, heals the mind just like good news will do. Music offers some sense of serenity when the message being passed comes with interest. Music isn't just sound and random strings of note, they're coordinated notes that speak to the soul, which is passed to the other part of the body through nerves to offer relief and relaxation.
As long as the human body is connected(the body, soul and mind) music touches all parts when the vibration is translated through the nervous system and to other senses that makes the body whole.
As an African child, we had one practice we did whenever a fowl goes into coma. We look for a wide bowl, cover the fowl with it and beat drums on the surface. Gradually the fowl starts to regain consciousness and strength until it's ready to stand again. I am not sure where our parents got those practices, but it says two things; That music and sound has a healing effect, and secondly, that sound has a connection with the mind and soul. This method of restoring a hen in coma worked all the time, and speaks a lot about what music can do.
Music as medicine has a wider effect on psychological cases, things that pertain to one's mental health. Give a depressed and stressed man music, gradually he'll find strength to fight his depression. As a matter of fact, music works like narcotic drugs to me. It reduces my stress and increases my chances to sleep well. Music also hinders thoughts that affect the mind especially if it's one that lifts one's spirit. Sound and music is an ancient practice, it's used during festivals, meditation, rituals , etc. And this shows the importance music plays in every area of life.