One small thing - How a song can act as "medicine" for the soul.
- Ainola Terzopoulou
- Dec 2, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 31
Music affects our brain and soul because it is not just about sounds, but a primordial language of emotions.
I listen to a lot of music, it's my company at home where the radio "plays" for many hours, in the car when I'm driving. Many times when I hear a favorite song, I turn up the volume, get up to dance, sing loudly along with the singer.
We have all woken up at some point with the lyrics of a favorite song or a melody playing in our heads. Music is a force that deeply affects the human brain and soul. From childhood to adulthood, it has the ability to evoke emotions, recall memories, and change our mood. A song can transform a feeling of disappointment into a sense of hope, and this change in our psychology is no accident.
As Time points out , music acts directly on the brain's limbic system, which is responsible for regulating our emotions and behavior. Listening to a favorite song activates the brain's reward system, increasing blood flow to various areas and releasing dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and mood enhancement.
Thus, a song can act as a “medicine” for the soul, bringing relief, strengthening and improving our emotional world. In addition, the neural signals that start from the sounds that reach our ears travel to various areas of the brain, including the hippocampus and the amygdala, two brain structures that are also associated with memory. This explains why music has the ability to awaken memories from the past or create moments of emotional climax, known as musical frisson, which are accompanied by physical reactions, such as tears, goosebumps or chills. In addition, it has been observed that music improves concentration and contributes to decision-making.
And therapeutic effects
But its benefits aren't limited to listening alone. Making music has also been shown to offer therapeutic effects, such as reducing stress and enhancing social connection, from infants to the elderly. For example, mothers who sing to their babies reduce levels of cortisol, the key hormonal marker of stress, while in dementia patients, music helps them recall memories and connect with loved ones, even when other brain functions have declined.
An integral part of wellness
The power of music is undeniable. Like exercise, proper nutrition, and sleep, music can become part of a holistic approach to caring for our mental health. Daily listening can improve mood, enhance creativity, and connect us more deeply with ourselves and others. It’s not just about sounds, it’s a primal language of emotion, affecting the brain and soul of people, at every period of our history and in every corner of the world.
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