There are times when one feels depressed. Feelings of gloom and inadequacy fill one’s mind and carrying out even the daily activities becomes difficult. Depression reduces brain activity and hampers the mind’s ability to plan and execute tasks. Lack of the neurotransmitter, Serotonin, leads to a depressed state of mind. Soothing musical notes help increase the Serotonin levels of the brain, thus alleviating mental depression.
Anxiety is associated with an upcoming event that may have an unknown outcome. It may lead to sleeplessness and other anxiety disorders. Music plays a vital role in calming the nerves and soothing one’s mind. Flat musical notes induce sleep, while natural notes provide the mind with alertness.
Music is found to affect the process of learning and thinking. If work is accompanied by quiet and soothing music, it helps the listener think, analyze and work faster in a more efficient manner. Music develops a positive attitude in the listeners and provides them with motivation. Surveys have shown that music brings about remarkable improvements in the academic skills of students, who are made to listen to certain kinds of music while studying or working in the lab. Listening to pleasant music, while doing a difficult task, can make it seem easier.
Music has a positive effect on the interpersonal skills of an individual. Failures that we face in life are often the result of lack of confidence and lack of desire to learn. Students obtaining poor school grades do not necessarily lack intelligence. Their poor academic results are often an outcome of their lack of motivation and their disinterest. Music lessons during school can help the students fight their mental block. Music proves helpful in encouraging young children to venture new fields. It helps them develop the confidence needed to achieve success in life.
It has long been obvious that music affects people profoundly. What is new, though, is that research is being conducted to determine the effects of music on the brain. Through this research much has been learned about the effects of music on brain function.
It has been shown over and over again that one of the strongest effects of music on the brain is in the area of memory. Students of foreign languages were shown to be able to learn hundreds of vocabulary items in one day when listening to appropriate music. What is more, they remembered the words over time at a level of 92% retention. This feat was accomplished with the use of baroque classical music. The tempo was the most successful at a steady rate of 60 beats per minute. At this tempo, people seemed to remember the most. This was one of the interesting effects of music on the brain.
Music has a positive effect on the concentration level of the listeners. It is also found to improve one’s memory. Research has found that the silence between two musical notes triggers the brain cells and neurons, which are responsible for the development of sharp memory. Flute music, and instruments like santoor and sarod are recommended for the enhancement of concentration and memory. Strong beats cause the brain waves to resonate in synch with the beat bringing about higher levels of concentration and alertness.
