Benefits of Music Essay Sample

Music is all around us. It has been involved in cultures of all kinds all across the world for at least 35,000 years. It has developed and changed over time, and as time went on, scientists became more curious about what music can actually do to you. It has since been discovered that different types of music can cause different emotions within you, but have you ever thought about how much it can actually affect our brains? Well, because of neuroscience, scientists have been able to do just that. Neuroscientists have discovered that music activates every known part of the brain and can improve your mental state, your memory, and your health. So, how is music able to affect us, and why is it so powerful?

When we listen to music that we enjoy, it has been proven to positively affect your mental state. How, though, does it happen? When music that we enjoy enters our brains, it triggers the area of the brain that produces dopamine, which makes us feel happy. Science has also proven that listening to or playing music reduces cortisol levels, the hormone that causes stress. A survey distributed by AARP has found that active music engagement was directly tied to higher levels of happiness and cognitive performance (Budson). This shows how music can affect us in various ways that can directly benefit our mental health.

Studies have also shown that songs associated with events or information can help resurface those memories. Even those who have already experienced an abundance of memory loss from Alzheimer’s can remember things when certain songs are played. This is because the area of the brain where music is memorized is the last part of the brain to deteriorate because of the disease.  In a study involving Alzheimer's patients, it was found that the patient’s scores on a memory test improved when they listened to classical music. A different study concluded that because music evokes such strong emotions, they can be tied to memories, which can be remembered when listening to the music associated with the memory. 

It is evident that music can have very positive mental effects on humans, but how can it have positive effects on your physical health? According to John Hopkins Medicine, “Research has shown that listening to music can help reduce anxiety, blood pressure, as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory,” (“Keep Your Brain Young with Music”). Music has also been proven to increase physical performance. This is because music normally improves your mood, which can result in longer, more efficient workouts. 

To summarize, music has various benefits for humans. Some of these are, improving memory, physical health, and mental health. Many studies have been conducted to show how music can affect us, and it has shown us that it can help us in ways that seem impossible, ranging from recovering memories to reducing stress and improving sleep quality. All of this information proves that music can help us in many different ways.