Music, the one thing everyone loves…..it not only entertains us but also has vast utilities to us, one of them is to stabilize our psychological health.
Studies have proved that music is unanimously linked to our health and emotions, how? , well, to make it much more comprehensible let me divide my explanations into three parts, namely: relation between music & health; relation between music & emotions; and relation between emotions & health.
1. Relationship BETWEEN MUSIC & HEALTH
Listening to music can prompt the body to release substances which are responsible for giving us the “ am feeling great” feelings.
Music can help in reducing feelings of physical pain; boosting memory; reducing levels of anxiety, stress, depression, insomnia; improving earring quality; alleviate pain in surgery patients; help in the process of recovering of brain related problems , e.g. PARKINSONS DISEASE AND ALZHEIMER.
Music can also affect the health negatively. If music is listened to in high volume it may trigger tension or heart attacks, not only, it can also damage the earring system.
2. Relationship between music and emotions
Music unquestionably affects our emotions. We tend to listen to music that reflects our mood. When we’re happy we may listen to upbeat music; when we’re sad we may listen to slower, moving songs; when we’re angry we may listen to darker music with heavy guitar, drums, and vocals that reflect our level of anger.
We may not know why we prefer the artists we listen to, except to say that we resonate with or feel the music, or just that they write songs we like.
Music allows us to study more about our emotional selves. Music also can be an effective coping strategy. We can listen to music that triggers emotions we want to feel in a given moment. If we feel lazy, unmotivated or down, a playlist of up-tempo, energetic songs can be very helpful because they can change our moods. Life would be much interesting if we were able to create playlists based on a variety of emotions so that we can easily access them when necessary.
While music can move us in an acute emotional moment, it’s also notable that it can be used to also to elicit underlying emotions and teach us about unconscious elements of our emotional structure. If we notice a pattern of emotional music that raises questions about current feelings or about who we are, it could be a worthwhile opportunity for self-exploration.
3. Relationship between emotions & health
When you sing your loved one’s praises…
Expressing the affectionate feelings you have towards your partner lowers cholesterol levels. A study reported in the journal Human Communication Research showed that when people spent three 20-minute sessions per week writing about loved ones, their cholesterol count fell within five weeks.
When you’re having a blazing row…
A 30-minute argument with your partner can slow your body’s ability to heal by at least a day. If you argue regularly, that healing time is doubled. Researchers tested couples with a suction device that created tiny blisters on their arms. When the couples were asked to talk about an area of disagreement that provoked emotion, the wounds took about 40 per cent longer to heal than those of the control group. This response, say the researchers, is caused by a surge in cytokines, the immune molecules that trigger inflammation. High levels of cytokines are linked to arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
When you’re stressed-out…
Short bouts of stress can boost immunity and raise levels of cancer-fighting molecules – and the effect lasts for weeks after the stressful situation ends. However, long-lasting or chronic stress is a different matter. Memory and accuracy are impaired. Patrols for invaders aren't sent out, you tire more easily, you can become depressed and reproduction gets downgraded. Exposure to chronic stress has been found to raise risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
When you’re in love…
Falling in love can raise levels of nerve growth factor for about a year. Nerve growth factor, a hormone-like substance, helps restore the nervous system and improves memory by triggering the growth of new brain cells. It’s also associated with the feeling of being loved-up and contented, inducing a calming effect on both the body and the mind.
When you’re feeling down…
Depression, pessimism and apathy affect our health in several ways. Low mood is linked to low levels of serotonin and dopa-mine, the feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain. Serotonin plays a role in regulating pain perception and could be the reason why 45 per cent of people with depression also suffer aches and pains.
When you burst into tears…
Emotional tears contain high levels of the hormones and neurotransmitters associated with stress. The purpose of emotional crying is to remove stress chemicals. Holding back tears leaves the body prone to anxiety, including weakened immunity, impaired memory and poor digestion.
When you’re consumed with jealousy…
Jealousy is one of the most powerful and painful of human emotions – and the most difficult to control. Women’s jealousy is usually triggered by the suspicion of emotional betrayal, while men typically become jealous when they suspect they have sexual competition. Jealousy is a complex mix of fear, stress and anger. These three states trigger the fight-or-flight response, usually in quite an intense way. Someone in the grip of jealousy is likely to suffer raised blood pressure, heart rate and adrenalin levels, weakened immunity and anxiety.
Article written by: Cristo Rutazihana
