Essay: Does Music Have a Positive Impact on the Brain?

Music is like its own language that everyone on Earth can understand and appreciate. Infants, children, teenagers, adults, and elderly, Western culture, European culture, Asian culture, ancient civilization and modern civilization all understand and appreciate music and what it can do for them. Music in today’s world is so easily accessible. Whether you’re listening to the radio, your iPod, or even on YouTube, there’s no way to escape it. People listen to it while doing things like driving to work, studying, working out, and just to relax. But does anyone know how that new catchy tune we heard the other day on the radio and for some reason can’t get out of our head impacts us cognitively?  There have been many, many, influential musicians that have roamed the Earth. Some positive, some negative, some that are neutral. Before science proved that music has an impact on the way we act, think, and feel. Humans believed that music was only for pure entertainment. But since then, a lot of research and studies have been conducted, and we now know that music plays a bigger role in our everyday lives than we could ever imagine. In this paper, I will discuss 1. How music affects children, 2. Research against music positively impacting the brain, 3. Health benefits, 4. Creativity, and 5. My opinion.
Children begin to hear music around the second trimester during pregnancy. (Slater, 2003) Music helps neutrons in the brain, whether its during infancy or throughout the childhood years. (Slater, 2003) Some hospitals play music to preemies in intensive care unit and research shows that music, and even in some cases, the mother humming, can help babies gain weight and leave the ward faster. (Slater, 2003) Science tells us that when a child learns and plays a musical instrument, they begin to hear and process sounds that other children could not hear. They then begin to develop “neurophysiological distinction.” (Locker, 2014) This helps them with literacy skills, which then transfers to higher academic results. (Locker, 2014) This also mean that they learn spoken sounds and words faster than other children. A study done at the University of California was conducted where thirty children, second graders that were put into three groups were compared. Northwestern University conducted a study and found that children who do not learn a musical instrument will not have the same benefits as those who learn one. (Locker, 2014) Northwestern also teamed up with “The Harmony Project.” The Harmony Project is a community music program in the Los Angeles area. Per their website, ninety-three percent of members have gone on and went to college since the year 2008, even with a dropout rate of fifty percent or more in the area. The study was later published that September in the Journal of Neuroscience and has shown direct evidence to music having a biological impact on the nervous system. (Locker, 2014) Further research was conducted, and was revealed that children who regularly attended music class and actively participated has more improvement in the brain and in test scores than children who did not. Research says that pairing music with rhythms and pitch enhances help children (and adults) learn and recall information. (HealthyChildren, 2015)
While there are many positives involving music and the brain, there are going to be negatives as well. Some types of music can cause your brain to lose symmetry between the right and left halves. (Design, & Looi, 2007) If you have ever tried to concentrate on something with loud and disruptive music playing, you probably couldn’t get any work done. In children, this can lead to learning disabilities and behavior disruptions. In adults, less work could be completed. (Design, & Looi, 2007) This is mostly due to the beat of the music. Rock and roll, rap, and other fast tempo music could be the leading genres that cause this disruption. (Design, & Looi, 2007) If someone were to listen to music while in a bad mood, it could make their mood worse depending on the genre. (Acappy, 2007) Teens who listen to music more than five hours a day can see declines in school work from the distraction. (Acappy, 2007) Music can influence people, mainly teens in negative ways. Racist, violent, sexist, and homophobic lyrics can influence vulnerable children. Studies conducted show that children and teens who listen to heavy metal music can sometimes show signs of substance abuse, disorders, higher suicide risk, or take bigger risks. (Wade, 2016) Music videos are even more of a threat to children, as even though they might not understand the words to the song, anything depicted in the video could be picked up by the child and they could imitate the behavior shown. (Wade, 2016) Swedish studies show that children who were interested in rock music early on were influenced by peer pressure later in life. (Wade, 2016) The Rand Corporation conducted a study and found that both males and females are influenced by music with sexually explicit lyrics. Per the research, those of 1,400 who listened to music had begun having sex earlier than those who did not. (Wade, 2016) On October 26th, 1984, an Ozzy Osbourne fan known as John McCollum took his own life after listening to the song “Suicide Solution.” (History, 2009) Lawsuits were made, and McCollum’s parents claimed that there were hidden lyrics in the song that incited the 19-year-old to kill himself. They claimed that listeners were urged to “get the gun and try it, shoot, shoot, shoot.” After the dust had settled, the courts had claimed there was no evidence that the song was the reason behind McCollum killing himself. (History, 2009)
Music can make you happier. Shocker, I know, but this is due to the brain releasing dopamine as you listen. (Zatorre & Salimpoor 2013) In a way, music gives off a natural high to those listening. Music has been known to heal in some cases. Music therapy is a great example of this. A simple definition of music therapy would be that it can be performed individually, or in groups. Active participation, where clinical improvisation works, or receptive participation where a participant might only need to listen to music could be necessary. Studies tell that music therapy can help treat patients with neurological conditions by stimulating the brain. (Archer, 2007) In a way, music helps rewire the brain to way it used to be. (Archer, 2007) Music therapy stimulates the parts of the brain that associates with music. (Archer, 2007) An example could be a person with Alzheimer’s disease. Music can help recall memories that are damaged to the person. (Archer, 2007) So in a way, music can bring back memories that could not otherwise be brought back. Those with dementia find comfort in being able to retrieve memories through music. (Archer, 2007) Those with Parkinson’s disease can be assisted with music. Music with a strong, rhythmic beat can stimulate motor control, movement, and coordination. (Archer, 2007) A study conducted in Finland has found that musical therapy can improve the outcome of depression, while it is combined with standard therapy. (Bland, 2011) 79 participates, ranging from the ages of eighteen to fifty years old were recruited and tested. (Bland, 2011) Lasting an hour for twice a week, and for twenty weeks, the therapist and patient were both provided with an acoustic drum, keyboard, and percussion instrument. Bonding happened between both people by creating music together. (Bland, 2011) Because of this, the patients interact and express emotion to the therapist, which in return, the therapist can gain insight into the patient’s relationships and emotional difficulties. (Bland, 2011) At the end of study, the participants were asked to complete a Montgomey-Asberg depression rating scale, or MADRS for short. Greater improvement was shown in the patients who received music therapy. (Bland, 2011) Anxiety can be lowered just by listening to music. (HealthyChildren, 2015) It is found to be so effective in reducing anxiety that it is often used in dental offices, radiation therapy areas, and preoperative rooms to help patients calm their nerves and worries and feel relaxed. Calming music in nursing homes can help soothe elderly patients, especially those with dementia. (HealthyChildren, 2015) Stress can be lowered by turning on some tunes. (HealthyChildren, 2015) Considering stress causes sixty percent of illness and disease. Playing music can even boost a person’s immune system. (eMedExpert, 2016) So next time there is a stressful day at the office, just relax, put on your iPod and let the stress out through music. It could potentially save your life. (Acappy, 2007) Over thirty percent of Americans suffer from insomnia. Studies show that if you listen to relaxing music for forty-five minutes before sleeping, can help people sleep at night. (eMedExpert, 2016) Per the American Society of Hypertension, those who have high blood pressure can listen to music in the mornings and evenings and train themselves to lower their blood pressure and keep it low. (eMedExpert, 2016) Genres like classical for thirty minutes is recommended. (eMedExpert, 2016) British and Italian researchers brought in men and women; half were musically trained. The researchers had them put on headphones, and had them listen to six different genres of music, from rap to classical. The participants were measured on their breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. When the tempo was moving faster, so were the heart and breathing rates. As the tempo slowed down, so did the heart and breathing rates. (eMedExpert, 2016) Music activates many regions of the brain. (eMedExpert, 2016) Auditory, motor, and limbic parts are all activated upon hearing music. (eMedExpert, 2016) Listening to music while learning or studying can help a person learn better. Reading and literacy skills, spatial-temporal reasoning, mathematical skills, and emotional intelligence are all improved when listening to music. (eMedExpert, 2016) Listening to classical music, especially Mozart will improve performances on cognitive tests. This is known as “The Mozart Effect” as some deem it. (eMedExpert, 2016) Though in recent research and findings, listening to any type of music of music that a person enjoys will have a positive effect. (eMedExpert, 2016) Any music with a beat pattern of sixty beats per minute, will activate the left and right part of the brain. This in return will maximize learning and retaining information. Research has shown that certain types of music can help a person recall memories. Children who take music classes and lessons will develop a better memory compared to children with no musical training. (eMedExpert, 2016)
It’s no secret that music wants to play around with a person’s emotions and feelings as they listen to it. For some people, they thrive on these feelings and it motivates them. Some famous books may have not been written if not for music being played while writing. As stated above, music helps a person focus on the task at hand. In fact, some writers prefer music over silence as they become distracted by silence. (Ciotti, 2014) But before you pop in those headphones and start writing on your New York Times best-seller, take a mental note that lyrics to a song can cause a distraction. Though this should come to no surprise, lyrics play around and activate the language center inside of the brain. Anyone who have tried to talk or write while listening to lyrics probably caught themselves stumbling over words or saying the wrong words. Research proves that while doing any task that is language based, it is best to use ambient music, or a low volume level.
My life has revolved around music. Being able to play the drums since I was little, and taking classes since I was in middle school, I can believe that music can influence your brain for the better. Since taking music classes, I have could focus more in the classroom, get more work done, and pay better attention during lectures. Listening to music has always been a coping mechanism for me and it helps more than talking to someone at times. I grew up around rock and roll music as my family was huge on it. Though I personally did not experience any of the things that the studies showed, I have friends that did go through phases of drugs and sex because of the type of music they listened to. My creativity grew a lot more as I took more classes and began to read music and compose my own. It’s a great way to deal with stress and anxiety as I can figuratively “escape from this world” for a little bit and go into my own world to calm down.
Music has been around for nearly forever. Before science got involved, people never knew exactly how much music helped in their everyday lives. Children benefit hugely from it, minds become more creative, health can become better, whatever the case may be, playing or listening to music can help someone out tremendously in their life and could potentially save it. Of course, not all music is good music, and sometimes music will influence a person to do some crazy things, and we must differentiate wrong and right in those situations. The year is 2016, and we have a ton of research left in this area. Who knows what other things will be linked between music and the human mind.