Music and heart health
What’s your “cheer up” song? That question popped up on a recent text thread among a few of my longtime friends. It spurred a list of songs from the ‘70s and ‘80s, back when we were in high school and college. But did you know that music may actually help boost your health as well as your mood?
Music engages not only your auditory system but many other parts of your brain as well, including areas responsible for movement, language, attention, memory, and emotion. “There is no other stimulus on earth that simultaneously engages our brains as widely as music does,” says Brian Harris, certified neurologic music therapist at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. This global activation happens whether you listen to music, play an instrument, or sing — even informally in the car or the shower, he says.
Make my heart sing
Music can also alter your brain chemistry, and these changes may produce cardiovascular benefits, as evidenced by a number of different studies. For example, studies have found that listening to music may
enable people to exercise longer during cardiac stress testing done on a treadmill or stationary bike
improve blood vessel function by relaxing arteries
help heart rate and blood pressure levels to return to baseline more quickly after physical exertion
ease anxiety in heart attack survivors
help people recovering from heart surgery to feel less pain and anxiety.
Notable effects
Like other pleasurable sensations, listening to or c...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Julie Corliss Tags: Health Heart Health Source Type: blogs
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