The Healing Power of Music

 by Saffron Irons

Gabby Giffords undergoing music therapy

It is a well known fact that listening to your favourite uplifting song during a time of trouble or discomfort can thoroughly improve your overall mood and happiness levels, so why not use this technique professionally?

As psychologists dive deeper into the effects of music on our minds and bodies, the use of music is becoming increasingly popular in clinical settings such as hospitals, care homes and therapy sessions. 

It has been proven through studies that music can be used to calm anxiety and stress in patients and even reduce pain levels. This technique is often used before and after invasive medical surgeries to put the patient at ease. In most cases, doctors found that the effects of music were just as good, if not better, than the effects of a sedative such as benzodiazepine, and as a result many doctors were able to reduce the amount of sedative given to patients. Using music as a reliever of stress and anxiety instead of medication also improved the overall health of patients, as long term use of sedatives can create side effects. Patients who listened to music while in waiting rooms before or after operations were also found to have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as lowered activity of the amygdala which is involved in anxiety. 

Music can also play a large role in rehabilitation, specifically aiding the recovery of people who have suffered from brain damage. An example of this is the incredible recovery of Gabby Giffords. Before her accident, Giffords was a talented public speaker; however, after being shot in the head, her left frontal cortex was badly damaged and any speech at all was extremely challenging for her. After months of speech therapy Giffords was losing hope until her therapist decided to try a new method. She encouraged Gabby to sing along to popular songs that she knew the lyrics to, and to her surprise, she could pronounce every word perfectly! This is because most aspects of language are localized in the left hemisphere of the brain, however musical components such as rhythm and melody are processed in the right hemisphere. When the left frontal lobes are damaged, music can help to create a new pathway for language through the right hemisphere. Music therapists use this technique frequently with anyone suffering from traumatic brain injuries or strokes and call it Melodic Intonation Therapy. During this they encourage patients to sing useful phrases such as “Hi, how are you” while tapping the rhythm with their left hand. This technique encourages language to enter and be stored in the right hemisphere through music, meaning that people are able to draw on these rhythmic or melodic sequences to help them form sentences in social situations. 

Another place music is commonly used to provide comfort and healing qualities is in care homes. Elderly people who suffer from Alzheimer's or dementia struggle to recall memories from many parts of their lives, however playing music that was popular during their teenage years can bring back thoughts, feelings and memories they didn't know they still had. Music’s powerful way of triggering memories can increase cognitive function in people whose brains are beginning to shut down. Many people who struggle with both Alzheimer's and dementia can feel discouraged by their inability to remember, therefore using the power of music to bring back even one specific memory can encourage them to carry on, and build the confidence to recover. Listening to music can also lead to increased oxytocin levels in the brain. Oxytocin is known as the ‘social hormone’ so an increase of this chemical can encourage more social interactions between patients increasing overall happiness and wellbeing (You’d think that Billie Eilish’s song ‘Oxytocin’ would be perfect for this, however I’m not sure I can see it being played in a care home sadly).

Since 1886, when Brahms composed his most famous lullaby, people have been using this specific type of music to help their children fall asleep. Scientists have recently proven that, for people who suffer from insomnia, music is just as effective as using sleep medication in improving the ability to fall asleep at night. This is due to the hypnotic qualities of the lullaby and the use of repetition of simple melodies. Lullabies often use a triple meter, for example a 3/4 or 9/8 time signature. The nature of this time signature evokes feelings of rocking or swinging, mimicking the feeling of being in the womb, or being rocked as a child. 

As you can see, the power of music extends far beyond the initial enjoyment of a good song, and can even be used as a substitute for many medications. It has benefited our society in ways I’m sure Mozart could never have imagined, proving that the healing power of music should never be underestimated. 

If you are interested to learn more on this topic I would suggest reading How Music Can Make You Better by Indre Viskontas. It explains in more detail the benefits of music in society and was the main source for this article.