We all love to listen to music in our spare time while waiting for someone, or while traveling; even some people listen to it while working. It’s a lovely feeling to listen to your favorite songs or musical instruments. You feel delightful while listening to music. It is because music has full control over our minds; as someone said: ”Where words fail music speaks”. It is true at all; just think about it when you are sad, happy, or even when you want to break the silence of your mind in a way listening to music is almost a therapeutic work.
So, now the question is; what role does music play in health care? The answer is simple; it lies in music therapy. So, you know how music can really hit you in the feels, right? But here’s the thing: just listening to your favorite tunes isn’t the same as music therapy. It’s more than that. Music therapy is all about using music in a clinical and evidence-based way to achieve specific goals in healthcare. And remember that not anyone can be a music therapist. These are specially trained individuals who know how to use different musical interventions to help people reach their health and well-being goals.
How Does Music Therapy Impact Human Mental And Physical Health?
Music therapy is suitable for all age groups; it can heal anyone from children to older people. It is also versatile and offers people a lot of benefits regarding mental and physical health.
Let’s explore how Music benefits you in a magical way:
- Music therapy can strengthen motor skills
- Improve communication abilities
- Boost self-esteem
- Decrease anxiety
- Increase motivation
- Facilitate emotional release
- Enhance verbalization
- Foster stronger connections with others
- Releases the body’s natural feel-good hormones
- Contributing to stress relief
- Fostering feelings of calm
- Lower heart rate and blood pressure
- Promote relaxation
- Reduce muscle tension
- Music therapy can activate specific areas of the brain responsible for memory, emotions, movement, sensory relay, involuntary functions, decision-making, and reward, thereby influencing various aspects of the human experience.
How Much Of The Population Is Served By Music Therapy?
According to American Music Therapy Association Member Survey & Workforce Analysis 2014, the percentage of the population served by music therapy is here:
- Mental health: 20%
- Developmentally disabled: 14.7%
- Medical/Surgical: 11.2%
- Elderly & Alzheimer’s: 9.3%
- Neurological disorders: 6%
- All others: 38.8%
Is Music Therapy Right For You?
Music therapy is an exceptional and versatile form of therapy that has the healing power of music to positively impact both mental and physical health. From children with developmental challenges to older adults seeking social connections, music therapy offers a range of benefits. It releases feel-good hormones, reduces stress, and promotes relaxation, while also strengthening motor skills, communication abilities, and emotional well-being. Music therapy truly showcases the profound connection between the human mind, body, and the pleasant tunes that can lead us towards improved overall well-being. So, what are you waiting for? Use music to boost your mental and physical health and enjoy lifelong impacts.
