Contemporary research suggests music has significant power to help reduce stress and anxiety, relieve pain and improve focus among many more benefits.
The connection between music and stress
Music has been an integral part of human culture for centuries and its ability to invoke emotions and influence mood is widely recognised. Scientific research has delved into the physiological and psychological effects of music, shedding light on its potential as a stress-reducing tool.
The relaxing effects of music
Stress, the feeling of emotional tension, of being overwhelmed, or feeling unable to cope, affects us both mentally and physically.
Stress has a biological impact that causes your body to release specific hormones and chemicals that activate your brain in certain ways. For example, when we are highly stressed, our heart rate and blood pressure can go up and our adrenal gland begins producing cortisol, also known as “the stress hormone”.
Across time and space, music has had tremendous success as a tool for stress relief. While some types of music such as classical and ambient have long been studied for their calming effects, listening to your personal favourite music of any genre also has benefits.
Research has also found that the tempo of the music can have a significant impact on how music can help lower stress. Music with a low pitch and a slower tempo of 60–80 bpm, such as mellow jazz, can help in reducing stress levels.
As a result of stress and anxiety reduction, music can also contribute to better quality sleep.
Music Has Therapeutic Effects
According to the National Geographic, children who play a musical instrument will have improved organization and better growth of the brain areas responsible for thinking, memory, emotion regulation, and motor coordination.
These benefits aren’t just limited to educational settings. Research shows that simply listening to music engages both hemispheres of the brain, activates the body’s reward system, and facilitates brain development regardless of whether children receive formal training or not.
Parents should make music a natural, everyday habit. Naxos for Education offers a suite of classical music resources from the worlds’ largest classical music recording group.
Music keeps your brain networks strong
According to Harvard Medical School, music promotes well-being, enhances learning, stimulates cognitive function, improves the quality of life and even induces happiness. The answer is, because music can activate almost all brain regions and networks, it can help to keep a myriad of brain pathways and networks strong, including those networks that are involved in well-being, learning, cognitive function, quality of life, and happiness.
Exposure to music as a child leads to one’s ability to learn new things and as mentioned in this article, reduces level of anxiety and depression. The impact of music on cognitive and emotional well-being improves student’s cognitive functions and helps to keep stress at bay.
Music, Art, and Drama products and services you might be of interest:
As we’ve explored, music has profound effects on reducing stress, boosting cognitive functions, and enhancing emotional well-being, making it a powerful tool for students’ holistic development. To help integrate these benefits into students’ lives, AISL Mall partners with specialized music education providers who offer structured programs and resources designed to nurture musical appreciation and cognitive growth from an early age. Here are two exceptional options:
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Naxos for Education (Online) offers a suite of classical music resources from the worlds’ largest classical music recording group.
Seed Music Academy (Hong Kong) offers Suzuki music programs to nurture students and help them develop their character through the study of music. The Suzuki Method is a structured process of teaching music that can be an effective way for young children to learn a new instrument.
The power of music to reduce stress, enhance cognitive function, and support emotional well-being makes it a vital tool in child and teen development. By incorporating music into daily routines, parents and educators can help young people build resilience, improve focus, and foster a lifelong appreciation for the arts. AISL Mall is proud to partner with providers like Naxos for Education and Seed Music Academy to offer resources that bring these benefits to our community. Discover how these programs can support your students’ and children’s journey to well-being through the transformative impact of music.
