Music Capacity to Promote Health - Case Study Example

Music and Health Institution Name Introduction Prolonged stress levels are correlated to poor human health. They are also linked to significant financial costs to the society. Accordingly, developing cost-effective stress management or prevention measures is of critical importance. Studies have indicated that music has beneficial effects to the stress-related physiological, emotional and cognitive health. Hence, listening to music as a non-invasive health improvement measures or health intervention tool is substantially advocated for by health literature (Davidson, 2008; Thaut & McIntosh, 2010). The main task entailed picking a song out of a large list and then analysing them and elements of the song, based on their capacity to promote health. 1. “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong (1968) 2. “Hear My Train A Comin'' by Jimi Hendrix (1973) 3. "I Wonder If Heaven's Got a Ghetto" by Tupac Shakur (1997) 4. "Symphony No. 5" by Ludwig van Beethoven (1808) 5. "The Planets" by Gustav Holst (1916) 6. “Nimrod” Green Day (1997) 7. “How You Remind Me" by Nickelback (2001) 8. "The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart (1786) 9. "Ahir Bhairav" by Buddhadev Das Gupta (1990) 10. “So What” by Miles Davis (1959) The choice of the playlist is based on the premise that they have the capacity to modulate anxiety levels triggered by experiencing stress. Indeed, a body of literature has presented consisted findings that music can boost human health, through anxiety reduction (Hallam, 2012). Extensive active engagement with the selected music is based on their capacity to induce cortisal re-organisation, thus generating functional adjustments in the ways in which the brain processes information. According to Tallal (2011), once this occurs, the alterations or adjustments generate permanent changes in the way the brain processes information. The playlist is a product of search. The top music in the search result was afterwards clicked and listened to online, which was later determined whether they satisfied the criteria of being capable to reduce anxiety and relieve stress. In ordering the music, those that I believe mostly affects my personal health are prioritised. Those with least effects, which I’m yet to experiment, are at the bottom of the list. Playlist analysis “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong (1968) Louis Armstrong’s song uses optimistic and hopeful tone (Thiele & Weiss, 1968). The song has theme variation and concurrent collective improvisation. Armstrong also extemporises chords rather than melodies, making the song to have bouncy rhythms. These make the music soft and sedative, as a result relieving stress and depression. Studies have established that listening to sedative, soft music for nearly 30 minutes can significantly reduce depression. This can have positive significant effects on patients with depressive disorders. The slow tempo also relieves headaches and migraines (Tallal, 2011). Music has been found to reduce the level of stress hormone cortisol substantially, thus contributing to improved cognitive functioning and moods (Thoma et al., 2013). Biomedical studies have established that music is substantially structured auditory language that involves complex cognition, perception and motor control within the brain. Hence, it can effectively alter an individual’s moods (Thaut & McIntosh, 2010). Davidson (2008) states that music enables individuals to better express their emotional states when they listen to sad music or angry music. “Hear My Train A Comin'' by Jimi Hendrix (1973) The song has slow repetitive progressive of chords that is distinct, making the lyrics less pulsating. The trance-like rhythm that forms a repetitive impact called groove is particularly helpful in counteracting stress (Hendrix, 1973). Tallal (2011) points out that the human body entrains to rhythm. The rhythm of the music keep playing in the brain long after the music is topped. According to Tallal (2011), the human motor systems naturally match or entrain the rhythmic beat. This reflection is further supported by Merzenich (2010), who suggested that when the music input makes its way into the central nervous system, through the auditory nerve, much of the input is channelled to the brain for processing, while some is channelled into the motor nerves in the spinal cord. This allows the muscles to move with the rhythm automatically. This triggers one to tap his foot or walk with the beat, hence reducing anxiety (Thoma et al., 2013). "I Wonder If Heaven's Got a Ghetto" by Tupac Shakur (1997) The song has rhythmic beats and strong beats, which make it affective. Indeed, this is the anchor of the song. The strong beats that sometime appear to dominate other instrumentation make the song to have a trance-like quality (Shakur et al. 1997). However, it is the lyrics that are more therapeutic, hence giving the song several social, emotional and life-skills benefits. The beats and the lyrics provide a sense of carefree individuality and independence. Critically, this contributes to individual’s sense of identity and self-discovery. It offers messages that are related to youth events, hence allowing them to take comfort in discovering that there are people who feel the same way as they do (Thoma et al., 2013). It also serves as a creative outlet for controlling or releasing emotions, as well as findings ways in which to cope with difficult situations. This enables the music to reduce stress, lower levels of anxiety and counteract depressive symptoms (Batt-Rawden et al., 2005). "Symphony No. 5" by Ludwig van Beethoven (1808) The texture of the piece is as flexible as its rhythm. The piece alters smoothly yet suddenly from a texture to another. The composition also starts of homophonically with an accompaniment and a melody that change into a more polyphonic texture with melodic fragments. The relaxing rhythm induces mental lull and sleep. According to Batt-Rawden et al. (2005), relaxing classical music is essentially a safe and cost-effective way to promote sleep in individuals suffering from insomnia. Individuals who suffer from insomnia can find Back music helpful. Studies have also confirmed that about 45 minutes of listening to relaxing music before bedtime can be helpful to individuals suffering from depression and who find it difficult to sleep. The relaxing music, as indicated by Batt-Rawden et al. (2005), can make for restful night. The slow relaxing music reduces the activities of the sympathetic nervous system, hence decreasing anxiety, respiratory rate, and heart beat rate. It therefore has positive impacts on sleep by triggering distractions and muscle relaxation (Thoma et al., 2013). "The Planets" by Gustav Holst (1916) The use orchestra, rather than piano, triggers imagination on the part of the listener. The slow paced tempo of the music and sudden upbeat tunes are distinct. The music is slow and quiet and the sudden upbeat tunes of the music, making it capable of reducing stress. Studies have indicated that slow and quite classical music has relaxing effects on anyone, including the newly born babies. Among the greatest features of this song is that its lethargic nature relieves stress and reduces negative emotions. Hallam (2012) pointed out that music can promote physical relaxation of the tensed muscles, hence enabling an individual to release tension emanating from stressful day. The listlessness of the music also helps in stress relief activities. It guides one in creating imagery, especially, when exercising. Additionally, the sudden upbeat tunes can take one‘s mind off the stresses, as well as keep the individual positive and optimistic. Studies have found that music can reduce the amount of stress-related hormone or cortisol generated by the body in reaction to stress (Thoma et al., 2013). “Nimrod” Green Day (1997) The music has steady back beat, guitar chords and rhythmic accent on the beats, in addition to a pleasant energising melody. The dream beats and electric guitar are energising. The hard rock beats are also energising. The music has a distinct accented upbeat that have a reinvigorating effect on the human body. This can be a cost-effective way of finding some additional energy when the human mind lulls (Tallal, 2011). It can also eliminate world-related fatigue. Indeed, these assumptions have been investigated by the current research. According to Tallal (2011), upbeat music enables individuals to find extra energy as well as reduce exercise-induced fatigue, resulting from monotonous work. In effect, the music relieves muscle tension and promotes body coordination and movement. This plays a critical role in creation, maintenance, and restoration of the body’s physical functioning, especially, when feeling fatigued after work (Thoma et al., 2013). “How You Remind Me" by Nickelback (2001) Like the “Green Day”, “How You Remind Me" also has steady back beat, guitar chords and rhythmic accent on the beats, in addition to a pleasant catchy melody (Kroegback & Nickelback, 2001). The back beat, guitar chords and rhythmic accent are energising. This enables improves an individual’s ability to recognise visual images, including numbers and letters. In the end, it gets to improve productivity. Studies have showed that rock music can improve productivity (Batt-Rawden et al., 2005). As a consequence, they help in reduction of factors triggering illnesses. By listening to the music therefore, the levels of stress-related hormones called cortisol are reduced. Lower levels of cortisol lead to increase immune response (Merzenich, 2010). "The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart (1786) It has lively harmonious rhythms that are invigorating. The music is a proof that the power of music in boosting memory performance cannot be underestimated. The beat pattern is of critical relevance in this regards. According to Tallal (2011), Mozart’s music with its 60 beats per minute actually activates the right and left brain. The concurrent right and left brain action increase the retention and learning of information. Most of the time I listen to Mozart, I get to remember the information I studied long afterwards. Indeed, such benefits have been cited in various researches. Tallal (2011) stated that information studied while listening to Mozart activates the left brain while the music gets to activate the right brain simultaneously. This enables the brain to be more capable of processing information. "Ahir Bhairav" by Buddhadev Das Gupta (1990) This classical Indian music uses more than five classical notes, through which melody is constructed (Das Gupta, 1990). Its ascending and descending melodies or notes create an enchanting and heart-lightening mood by teasing with one’s emotions. According to Tallal (2011), listening to raga or classical music at least for 30 minutes each day substantially reduces high blood pressure. Additionally, researches have showed that musical tempo reduces heartbeat. By listening to the music, the heart rate and breathing rate slows by the time it stopped. Therefore, it should be noted that by listening to the music severally, optimal results were realised where breathing and heart rates normalised, regardless of whether I liked the music or not. Consequently, the pace and tempo of the music had optimal effect on relaxation (Thoma et al., 2013). “So What” by Miles Davis (1959) The lyrics of the song are haunting, chilling, yet compellingly magical. The words of this jazz music have a healing effect. This has impacts on the brain as they induce neuroanatomical changes (Tallal, 2011). Recent studies have examined the effects of music on neuroanatomical changes and reached a conclusion that they contributed to behavioural recovery and post-stroke recovery. According to Tallal (2011), jazz music can speed up recovery from stroke. Listening to the music after stroke can therefore promote behavioural recovery, as well as induce neuroanatomical changes that lead to post-stroke recovery. Conclusion Critically, listening to music has the potential to initiate a range of cognitive processes within the brain. Hence, music impacts stress-related cognitive functions, and as a result, physiological responses. The music playlist developed is based on the underlying assumption that they can reduce perceived levels of physiological stress, boost coping abilities, promote perceived relaxation and relieve stress. It is also expected that they can trigger activity within regions of the brain associated with experiencing intense emotions. From the list, it is clear that the ability of music to ‘heal the soul’ as a stuff of the legend in many cultures has not been overrated. Many studies have established that music lifts the spirit. Indeed, current researches have tended to confirm the psychotherapeutic benefits of music, such as Vivaldi, Mozart, Salsa, Klexmer and reggae. References Batt-Rawden, K., DeNora, T. & Ruud, E. (2005).  Music listening and empowerment in health promotion: A study of the role and significance of music in everyday life of the long-term ill, Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 14 (2), 120-136.  Beethoven, L. (1808). Symphony No. 5. [Recorded] Das Gupta, B. (1990). "Ahir Bhairav". [Buddhadev Das Gupta] On Ahir Bhairav. New York: Raga Records (1990) Davidson, J. (2008). Singing for self-healing, health and wellbeing. MCA Music Forum, 14(2), 29-33 Davis, M. (1959). So What. [Miles Davis]. On Kind of Blue [Recorded). New York: Columbia (1959) Green Day. (1997). Nimrod. [CD] Los Angeles: Conway Studios. (1997) Hallam, S. (2012). The power of music: its impact on the intellectual, social and personal development of children and young people. Retrieved: Hendrix, J. (1973). 'Hear My Train A Comin'' [Recorded by Jimi Hendrix] On People, Hell and Angels [Recorded] London: Reprise. (1967) Holst, G. (1916). The Planets. [Gustav Holst]. [Recorded] Kroegback, C. & Nickelback. (2001). How You Remind Me. [Nickelback]. On "Little Friend" [CD]. New York: Roadrunner (1997) Merzenich, K. (2010). Top 12 Brain-Based Reasons Why Music as Therapy Works. NeuroScience. Retrieved: Mozart, W. (1781). Piano Concerto No. 21. [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]. On Piano Concerto No. 21 [Recorded] Mozart, W. (1786). The Marriage of Figaro. [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]. On Le nozze di Figaro [CD) Shakur, T., Goodman, L. & Troutman, L. (1997). I Wonder If Heaven's Got a Ghetto. [Recorded by Tupac Shakur]. On Keep Ya Head Up. [CD] Amaru Entertainment: New York. (1992) Tallal, P. (2011). TDLC: Music and the Brain. Retrieved: Thaut, M. & McIntosh, G. (2010). How Music Helps to Heal the Injured Brain. Cerebrum. Retrieved: Thiele, B. & Weiss, D. (1968). What a Wonderful World [Recorded by Louis Armstrong]. On What a Wonderful World [Recorded] New York: ABC 10982, HMV (1967) Thoma, M., La Marca, R., Bronnimann, R., Finkel, L. & Ehlert, U. (2013). The Effect of Music on the Human Stress Response. PLOS Journal Read More