Studies Prove that Listening to Music can Improve Concentration

My parents used to always say “Switch off that music and do your homework!!” In those days it was believed that listening to music while studying was distracting. Let’s not forget that, in those days, I was forced into eating tons of spinach in the misinformed belief that it contained an incredible amount of Iron. […]

Music therapy and pre-recorded music reduced pain

Content: Research at Drexel University in Philadelphia found that music therapy and pre-recorded music reduced pain more than standard treatments in cancer patients. This Study with more than 50 trials to review, was one of the largest ph.D. Joke Bradt participated in. More than 500 participants reported, that they experienced less pain through music therapy. „The evidence suggests that […]

Music as Therapy – The Basics

We all know that music can influence our mood and emotions. It can soothe and comfort us and press just the right buttons to make us feel happy, sad, relaxed, or even excited. It has the power to transport us back to our childhood within seconds or to put us on an emotional rollercoaster ride. […]

Music, Melody and the Strange Pull They Exert Over Our Minds

Content: Matthew Schulkind compares declarative and procedural memory with regard to music. Songs that people have a special relationship with need just the first few notes of a song transport the listener back to that particular time and place. Music can help dementia patients to bring back lost informations stored in longterm memory. In a […]

The Amazing Power of Music

Content: People (mostly men) are often scared of their emotions and try to suppress the negative ones like sadness or loneliness. Musicians on the other hand know, that there is beauty in melancholy. A sort of anchor and preparation of hard times to come. But music can serve so many more functions – helping one […]

Music As Complementary Medicine

Writer: Jaakko Erkkilä, Marko Punkanen, Jörg Fachner, Esa Ala-Ruona, Inga Pöntiö, Mari Tervaniemi, Mauno Vanhala and Christian Gold Source: The British Journal of Psychiatry (2011) 199, 132–139. Content: While many people suffer under depression, clinical treatment is moving fast forward and is providing great medicine for the patients. Music is hereby an important player. This […]

The “Power” Of Music

Writer: Imogen N. Clark, Felicity A. Baker & Nicholas F. Taylor Source: Nordic Journal of Music Therapy (2016), 25:1, 76-104 Content: This study is a review of 23 theoretical texts representing three contexts: therapeutic outcomes, sports and exercise performance, and auditory-motor processing. The findings consistently categorised music as a true motivator in physical activities, and […]

Music Proved To Be A Versatile Means For Mood Regulation

Writer: Suvi Saarikallio & Jaakko Erkkilä Source: Society for Education, Music and Psychology Research vol 35(1): 88‒109 Content: The study explored the aspect of music as a tool for mood regulations in adulthood. The findings suggested increasing and restoring of well-being, and also made the participants’ emotional life more varied and colourful. The underlying motivation […]