Music: How Can it Be Used to Improve Our Health?

We have all probably heard of the expression 'power of music'. This is because music is very effective in its appeal to us, and with its enormous range and styles it can suit literally each and every one of us from anywhere around the world. It can evoke our deepest emotions, build on our most unique memories and experiences, and act as vehicles for our self-expression.

Music has the ability to bring us feelings of happiness and sadness; it can cause us to feel relaxed enough to fall asleep or give us the much needed energy and motivation during a workout session. It can unite people regardless of their race, culture or spoken language. Music can even have a positive impact on our health and wellbeing.

The benefits of music are well-established. Research has found strong evidence that music has many advantages that directly relate to different aspects of our health, which is why it has many applications in a variety of settings within healthcare.

Several of the healthcare areas where music is often used include:

Palliative care.

Rehabilitation facilities.

Pediatric units.

Mental health services.

Radiology facilities.

Maternity wards.

Speech and language centres.

Operating theatres.

Elderly care facilities.

In addition to the list above, music has numerous applications within the therapeutic area of medicine as supportive treatment for a variety of health conditions.

Music therapy can be defined as:

A therapeutic approach that uses the naturally mood-lifting properties of music to help people improve their mental health and overall well-being.

It is essentially the evidence-based use of music as a clinical intervention for the accomplishment of personal goals within a therapeutic setting by a qualified professional.

Music therapy can take place in an individual or a group setting depending on an individual's needs and requirements, and uses a goal-oriented intervention that involves the exposure to music through a variety of means, from playing instruments and writing songs to singing and dancing.

Therapy with music can involve an active or a passive process. An active process is whereby the patient is actively involved in the creation of music; and the passive kind involves the patient listening and/ or responding to music. Sometimes, a combination of the two kinds of therapies - both active and passive, are used at the same time to achieve the desired goal.

Several of the common types of music therapies that exist include:

This involves the use of an improvised approach by creating music either through singing or instrument playing to encourage the expression of subconscious thoughts.

This type of therapy also focuses on the subconscious mind by using psychoanalytic methods for the identification of a patient's psychological state and matching it to certain types of music.

This is a structured approach that combines cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with music. CBT is a type of therapy that focuses on the management of an individual's thought processes and behaviour patterns by applying effective coping mechanisms and identifying positive alternatives. In CBMT, music is added to reinforce or modify certain behaviours.

This involves the use of music in a group setting with the aim of promoting self-expression, group participation, and relationship-building.

This type of therapy follows an improvisational approach that involves the composition of music by playing an instrument with the therapist to encourage self-expression, which helps with the development of speech, language, and cognition.

This therapy focuses on the stimulation of an individual's imagination through the use of classical music while simultaneously describing certain imagery, feelings and experiences.

This form of therapy uses breathing exercises as well as various sounds and songs for the development of deeper self-connection and an overall improved understanding of own thoughts and behaviours.

Applications of music therapy are numerous and it is widely used for the supportive treatment of many conditions belonging to various age groups. Some of the common health conditions where music therapy can be useful include:

Depression and anxiety.

Dementia and other memory-related disorders e.g. Alzheimer’s disease.

Pain management for conditions that cause chronic pain.

Cardiac-related conditions.

Speech and language problems.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder.

Respiratory disorders e.g. asthma.

Rehabilitation following an injury or medical procedure.

Addictive disorders e.g. substance abuse.

Problems with movement or coordination.

Sleep disorders e.g. insomnia.

Helping premature infants with weight gain and sleep.

Traumatic brain injuries.

Behavioural problems e.g. emotional regulation and coping skills.

Learning and developmental difficulties.

Mental health issues caused by long-term health conditions.

The highly personalised process involved in music therapy along with its high adaptability give it a variety of applications as supportive treatments of many physical and mental health conditions and disorders, and this also enables it to be suitable for a variety of people of different ages whether young or old. Having said that, music therapy is mostly benefitial when used in conjunction with other types of therapies and treatments.

Music is medicine to the soul.

The mode of action of music is through the activation of specific parts of the brain that control emotions, movement, sensation, memory and other involuntary centers which causes a number of direct physiological effects that include:

Reduction in heart rate and blood pressure.

Decrease in muscle tension.

Hormone release and regulation.

Stress relief and mood regulation.

Enhanced motor skills.

Improved communication, cognition, memory and learning.

Expression of positive emotions and feelings.

Music is a universal language that everyone understands. It brings many people together and has the power to change lives. Besides its impact on our emotions, thoughts, behaviours and actions, music can be effectively used as part of a complete therapy for the supportive treatment of a variety of health conditions, thus making it an essential part of our health and wellbeing.

While the use of music on its own clearly does not constitute adequate treatment nor does it act as a replacement of traditional medicine, its health benefits should definitely not be ignored. Afterall, music is powerful art, and it is precisely this power that can help remarkably improve health outcomes and quality of life.

"The power of music to integrate and cure...is quite fundamental. It is the profoundest non-chemical medication". ~ Oliver Sacks

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