{"id":1228,"date":"2023-04-15T10:02:58","date_gmt":"2023-04-15T09:02:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/?p=1228"},"modified":"2023-04-21T15:30:01","modified_gmt":"2023-04-21T14:30:01","slug":"the-positive-impact-of-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/2023\/04\/15\/the-positive-impact-of-music\/","title":{"rendered":"The positive power of music"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;font-family: helvetica\"><strong>Music can inspire so many emotions. Hearing just the first few bars of a much-loved album track or a long-forgotten chart hit can create a deluge of memories.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;font-family: helvetica\">Like an old friend that can provide an aural hug, music can help us in so many ways, whether you\u2019re listening solo on your headphones or enjoying the collective experience of going to a concert.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">It\u2019s said that your music choice really can influence how you\u2019ll feel &#8211; whether you\u2019re seeking to wind down and relax with laidback grooves, soundtrack an energetic workout with an upbeat tempo, or just listen to a bit of background music while you work or chill out at home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1242 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/festival-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Revellers at a nightclub\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/festival-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/festival-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/festival-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/festival.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">Music is great at bringing people together, whether it\u2019s through the shared experience of going to a festival or listening to a mixtape with a few friends at a house party. That shared experience helps to connect us with others and enhance social bonds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">A recent study in Australia suggested that people who actively engage with music, whether by dancing or simply listening, were found to be happier than others who didn\u2019t engage with music in same way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">Next time you ask your smart speaker to blast out some sounds, it\u2019s worth remembering the positive impact your choice could bring!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;font-family: helvetica\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt\">Improve your mood<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;font-family: helvetica\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1285 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/krists-luhaers-DSB1MZWsGco-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Happy girl at a music festival.\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/krists-luhaers-DSB1MZWsGco-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/krists-luhaers-DSB1MZWsGco-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/krists-luhaers-DSB1MZWsGco-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/krists-luhaers-DSB1MZWsGco-unsplash.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;font-family: helvetica\">Ever had that goosebump feeling when you hear a particularly moving piece of music? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;font-family: helvetica\">It could well be the result of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that triggers sensations of pleasure and wellbeing. Upbeat music causes our brains to produce chemicals which evoke feelings of joy, while calming music relaxes the body and mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;font-family: helvetica\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt\">Reduce anxiety and stress<br \/>\n<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1159 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/03\/music2-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Person laid relaxing.\" width=\"840\" height=\"559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/03\/music2-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/03\/music2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/03\/music2-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/03\/music2.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;font-family: helvetica\">Music can help to reduce heart rate and decrease stress hormones, so turn up the dial on those chill-out tunes. While we are all affected differently by music, studies do highlight how it can help when dealing with emotional stress or trauma.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">Music therapy enables people to identify and express their feelings through music. <\/span><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">Soft and slow sounds can help with relaxation as the\u00a0 autonomic nervous system, in charge of breathing and heart rate, is engaged by music. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">It\u2019s been said that if a person can focus on the sound of the music, they begin to breathe in time to it and their heartbeat also starts to change, to flow in time with the beat of the music. The more soothing the music sounds, the more beneficial it will be in aiding relaxation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;font-family: helvetica\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt\"><strong>Manage pain<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1286 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/benjamin-wedemeyer-pN140LY8wn8-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Person receiving physiotherapy massage.\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/benjamin-wedemeyer-pN140LY8wn8-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/benjamin-wedemeyer-pN140LY8wn8-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/benjamin-wedemeyer-pN140LY8wn8-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/benjamin-wedemeyer-pN140LY8wn8-unsplash.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/>Research has also shown that listening to music can help in managing pain and recovery from surgery. Some findings suggest that post-operative patients who listened to music had lower levels of anxiety and a lesser need for painkillers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">It\u2019s thought that anything which distracts us from pain could help to reduce our focus on it. Researchers suggest that listening to a preferred choice of music can have a positive impact on pain tolerance and perception. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt\"><strong>Increase your motivation<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1287 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/juan-pablo-rodriguez-X6jtULYJQz8-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Woman working out in the gym wearing headphones.\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/juan-pablo-rodriguez-X6jtULYJQz8-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/juan-pablo-rodriguez-X6jtULYJQz8-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/juan-pablo-rodriguez-X6jtULYJQz8-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/juan-pablo-rodriguez-X6jtULYJQz8-unsplash.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/>It mightn\u2019t come as a surprise that playing up-tempo music while exercising can improve your workout endurance and increase enjoyment of challenging activities. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">You\u2019ll know exactly what I mean if you\u2019ve ever been struggling a little during a fitness workout, then felt suddenly energised when the workout playlist starts to bang out sounds from one of your favourite bands. Spend a little time perfecting your workout playlist and you\u2019ll reap the rewards!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt\"><strong>Stimulate memories<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1241 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/idin-ebrahimi-76rVMDH-Rmw-unsplash-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Three mix tapes on a table - labelled as &quot;for when you're happy&quot;, &quot;for when you're sad&quot; and &quot;for when you feel empty.&quot;\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/idin-ebrahimi-76rVMDH-Rmw-unsplash-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/idin-ebrahimi-76rVMDH-Rmw-unsplash-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/idin-ebrahimi-76rVMDH-Rmw-unsplash-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/idin-ebrahimi-76rVMDH-Rmw-unsplash.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">Everyone has a particular song or piece of music that can immediately transport us back to a place or time. It\u2019s thought that we process memories and emotions which might be related to those musical sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1243 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/music-notes-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A piece of classical sheet music.\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/music-notes-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/music-notes-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/music-notes-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/04\/music-notes.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">There have been studies into the positive impact of classical and ambient music, which was found by researchers to help some older adults perform better in memory tasks. Music is also being used in residential homes and institutions which specialise in care for people with dementia, in helping to bring people together and stimulate memories.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt\">Helps you eat better<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-621 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/02\/anh-nguyen-fdXnVBurIvU-unsplash-1024x678.jpg\" alt=\"Healthy meal of boiled eggs, tomatoes, tofu and beans.\" width=\"840\" height=\"556\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/02\/anh-nguyen-fdXnVBurIvU-unsplash-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/02\/anh-nguyen-fdXnVBurIvU-unsplash-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/02\/anh-nguyen-fdXnVBurIvU-unsplash-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/02\/anh-nguyen-fdXnVBurIvU-unsplash.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">It might sound a bit strange but bear with me here. Studies have shown that music can even help when you\u2019re trying to stick to a healthy diet.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\"> Research suggests that listening to certain genres of music might help to reduce emotion-related eating, highlighting links between unhealthy food choices and loud music. The suggestion is that listening to slower, softer melodies can encourage healthier choices and slower eating.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-family: helvetica;font-size: 14pt\">So, if reading all this is music to your ears, what do you enjoy most about listing to music and what\u2019s on your personal playlist?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/2023\/01\/09\/from-campus-to-coast-and-countryside\/michelle\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-591\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-591\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/01\/michelle-300x300.png\" alt=\"Michelle\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/01\/michelle-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/01\/michelle-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/01\/michelle-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/01\/michelle-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/01\/michelle.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 85vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Music can inspire so many emotions. Hearing just the first few bars of a much-loved album track or a long-forgotten chart hit can create a deluge of memories. Like an old friend that can provide an aural hug, music can help us in so many ways, whether you\u2019re listening solo on your headphones or enjoying &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/2023\/04\/15\/the-positive-impact-of-music\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;The positive power of music&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25095,"featured_media":1160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[13,98,99],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2023\/03\/music3.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1228"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25095"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1228"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1228\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1441,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1228\/revisions\/1441"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}