Music therapy

A healing therapy: Food for soul, music

How about a prescription for ear soothing music to fight and overcome stress and diseases? Sounds great isn’t it? Welcome to the world of music therapy. No matter if you have just had a break-up or have started with a new relationship, music is one element that fits in every situation of life. Then why not use it as a healing therapy?

A healing therapy Food for soul, music

Victor Hugo has rightly said: “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”. Whether you accept it or not, music affects our daily life, as every human being responds to it.

An amalgamation of psychology and counselling, music can act as a healing therapy to cure several conditions like depression, personality issues, autism, cancer etc. In India, music has long been associated with healing as it is believed that some ‘ragas’ have a therapeutic effect. Be it the soothing melody of a flute, harmonium or guitar, music

can instantly put anyone in a good mood. But different kind of music works for different people and for different medical conditions. Here are a few health benefits of how music is food for your soul and health:

Decreases anxiety and stress

Research suggets that listening to religious music or the sound of the flute is associated with a decrease in anxiety levels and stress thereby providing a sense of control over an individual’s life.

Reduces pain

Want to relieve pain or beat stress? Face the music. You heard it right. Researchers believe that listening to music could help combat pain, relieve stress and even beat depression as it instantly uplifts your mood.

Helps lower blood pressure

Studies have shown that listening to peaceful music by closing your eyes and getting soaked in the world of sound can help you feel calm and relaxed and therby lowering blood pressure levels.

Good for heart health

Listening to music for half an hour is not just soothing for ears, but also good for the heart as good vibrations from the soothing music regulates heart rhythm along with slow and relaxed breathing and brain pattern.

Eases migraine and headaches

Music acts as a natural remedy that can help you get some instant relief from headache and migraine as it soothes the nerves of the brain providing relief.

Boosts immunity

It has been found that listening to good music actually sends a message to our brain to secrete positive and good hormones which boosts our immunity.

Improves concentration and memory

Have you ever noticed that we learn the lyrics of songs early but find it hard to remember other important things. This is so because music activates the brain instantly and helps in retention of information and improved concentration.

Source: zee news

Making music videos ‘helps young cancer patients cope’

Music therapy can help teenagers and young people cope better when faced with treatment for cancer, a study in Cancer journal suggests.

American researchers followed the experiences of a group of patients aged 11-24 as they produced a music video over three weeks.

They found the patients gained resilience and improved relationships with family and friends.

All the patients were undergoing high-risk stem-cell transplant treatments.

To produce their music videos, the young patients were asked to write song lyrics, record sounds and collect video images to create their story.

They were guided by a qualified music therapist who helped the patients identify what was important to them and how to communicate their ideas.

When completed, the videos were shared with family and friends through “premieres”.

Positive effect
After the sessions, the researchers found that the group that made music videos reported feeling more resilient and better able to cope with their treatment than another group not offered music therapy.

Also, 100 days after treatment, the same group said they felt communication within their families was better and they were more connected with friends.

These are among several protective factors identified by researchers that they say help teenagers and young adults to cope in the face of cancer treatments.

Lead study author Dr Joan Haase, of Indiana University School of Nursing, said: “These protective factors influence the ways adolescents and young adults cope, gain hope and find meaning in the midst of their cancer journey.

“Adolescents and young people who are resilient have the ability to rise above their illness, gain a sense of mastery and confidence in how they have dealt with their cancer, and demonstrate a desire to reach out and help others.”

When researchers interviewed the patients’ parents, they found that the videos also gave them useful insights into their children’s cancer experiences.

‘Feel connected’
Sheri Robb, a music therapist who worked on the study, explained why music was particularly good at encouraging young people to engage.

She said: “When everything else is so uncertain, songs that are familiar to them are meaningful and make them feel connected.”

Cancer Research UK says music therapy can help people with cancer reduce their anxiety and improve their quality of life. It can also help to reduce some cancer symptoms and side-effects of treatment – but it cannot cure, treat or prevent any type of disease, including cancer.

Previous studies looking at the effects of music therapy on children with cancer found that it could help reduce fear and distress while improving family relationships.

A spokesperson for Teenage Cancer Trust said getting children with cancer to co-operate and communicate was most important.

“Every day in UK, around seven young people aged between 13 and 24 are diagnosed with cancer. We know that being treated alongside others their own age makes a huge difference to their whole experience, especially if it’s in an environment that allows young people with cancer to support each other.”

Source: BBC news