Music as a catalyst for good development in one’s life

When we’re in pain, it’s sometimes easier to be alone. We have friends and loved ones around, and we can contact them at any moment, yet we’d rather be alone with our thoughts, away from distractions, connecting to ourselves in silence.

Music may be really beneficial to us during this time. It’s a force of comprehension, and there’s something in its lack of words that allows us to see ourselves in its mirror without having to explain ourselves. We can simply be present and listen to or play music. The music may either fit our mood or assist us alter it— it’s entirely up to us, since we pick its purpose.

Music has the potential to modify our attitude, to understand and console us, to relax or energize us in whichever way we require. Neuroscientist Oliver Sacks discusses this potential in his book Musicophilia:

Advertisement

“Music has the ability to transport us to extremes of feeling. It has the power to convince us to buy something or to bring back memories of our first date. When nothing else works, it can help us get out of a funk. It has the ability to make us dance to its beat”.

Music takes over where words drop off in terms of comprehension

Music appears to comprehend our feelings because it speaks directly to us. When words fail, music takes their place, stated German poet Heinrich Heine, explaining how music enters and fills the space where words fail to thrive or convey.

Music finds a way to sympathize with our plight. Sometimes we just want to stay in our gloomy mood. Music does not urge us to change, but rather sits with us in our current state.

Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness. — Maya Angelou

This may be a great source of consolation for anybody dealing with life’s difficulties, such as disappointments, worry, despair, longing, or sadness of any type.

Using music to encourage a more cheerful attitude

Music has the ability to motivate us and assist us in transitioning into a happier attitude. When we need it, music may provide us with energy and delight. It has the ability to shake us out of a bad mood. It may help us reach the polar opposites of our true feelings: when we’re frightened, it can relax us; when we’re fatigued, it can energize us; and when we’re separated, it can reconnect us. We connect with others via music, especially those who make or perform it – we sing their songs, hum their melodies, and no longer feel alone.

What effect does music have on our brain and mood?

The impact of music on our brain is being better understood because to advances in neuroscience and the study of music’s impact on the brain. It has been shown via brain research that when we listen to or perform music, nearly all areas of the brain are activated concurrently.

Using various tools to detect brain activity, such as electrodes or other scanning methods, one quickly learns in medical imaging that music affects practically every part of the brain: the right and left cerebral hemispheres, front and back regions, the cortex, and the internal limbic system. Music is one of the few stimuli that have the ability to stimulate our entire brain.

Music triggers physical responses in the brain and puts in motion a series of chemical events. Most people’s well-being improves as a result of this. The hormone oxytocin is increased by listening to music. Oxytocin is a hormone that makes us more motivated to engage in social interactions. It builds trust between individuals and is spread via activities such as singing together.

Memories

Music was always there for us as teens while we fought with our erratic and often perplexing emotions. We identified songs that became favorites, and music started to symbolize and reflect how we felt at various points in our lives. We used to let music define our particular style to the rest of the world when we were younger.

Memory is an important aspect of music. The hippocampus is the memory center of our brain. Our brain recalls patterns, emotions, and rhythms here, as well as musical events and the environment in which they occurred.

We may recall music more easily than we recall words. Because the pattern of a tune is so easily remembered by our minds, we have a deep attachment to it. When we listen to music, we have expectations about what will happen next based on our previous musical experiences. We’re in the unique position of being able to live in the present (listening), the future (anticipating), and the past (remembering) all at the same time. Music differs from other arts in that it is “time” based — and in this peculiar and unique way, music allows our minds to exist simultaneously in the past, present, and future.

When we interact with music, it engages our entire brains – everything is linked – rhythm, patterns, emotion, hormones, and the connections our minds construct between musical parts or pieces. When we hear the music, again and again, later in life, we remember so much more than simply the song. They also remember the mood, the setting, and the events.

Music, then, reminds us of our past, our tales, our moods, and the sounds that make us happy or comfortable, or those made us cries or ponder in the past. The atmosphere is inextricably linked to the music, as if it were a musical element in and of itself (like pitch, harmony, or rhythm). Sound, memory, beauty, and emotion are all brought to us through music.

Our music serves as a reminder of ourselves

We feel at ease when we listen to music we are familiar with. We are reminded of our tales, our past since we are familiar with this music. The music expresses a portion of what we appreciate and are familiar with — a memory or fresh anticipation.