What specific types of health benefits are associated with listening to the types of music that you like, by prompting your mind and body to feel better?
Well, that is exactly what a team of researchers were determined to find out.
In 2005, this same group of researchers, at the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine, in Baltimore, studied the physical health effects of laughter on the cardiovascular system for the first, ever, study of its kind.
Now, they were going to compare those results with listening to Pleasant Music, relaxing sounds, and stressful music.
When the results were finalized, they were presented at the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association gathering, on November 11, 2008, in New Orleans.
Oh, by the way and just so you know, this study was sponsored by the American Heart Association, the Veterans Administration, and the National Institutes of Health.
Study Criteria-Music for relaxation
This experiment used ten healthy, non-smoking volunteers (70 percent of which were male) and were an average age of 36 years.
Prior the starting day of the eventful study, the participants were also instructed to abstain from listening to their favorite music for a minimum of two weeks.
The researchers were hoping for an extra advantage in intensifying the positive physical health benefits.
Upon fasting the night before the study, each participant began the research by being subjected to a baseline brachial artery (located in the upper arm) mediation-flow dilation test.
Using a blood pressure cuff to restrict and release blood flow, ultrasound equipment was used as a measuring tool.
Each individual’s personal responses were recorded by the increases and decreases of their blood flow effects, which were measured in percentage points according to the differences in blood vessel diameter.
All test subjects were required to participate in all four phases of the experiment, which was administrated to each participant in no particular order.
The physiological differences were noted and recorded after each test subject had completed a phase.
One phase of the study involved instructing the individual to select music they considered pleasant and enjoyable to listen to.
A second phase had them choosing and listening to music that they did not like and would make them feel anxious or nervous, a third phase had them listening to relaxing sounds, and the fourth phase contained watching a funny video clip.
A minimum time span of one week between exposures to the four different phases was allowed, and took about a month to complete.
Trial Results
When compared to their previously recorded baseline blood flow data, listening to favorite music produced even more impressive results than the original laughter study trial.
Increased blood flow differences were noticed in every phase of the trial, which were each measured and recorded separately.
Here are the results listed in the order of their important significances to increased blood flow, pleasant music 26 percent, laughter 19 percent, and relaxing sounds 11 percent.
What was not at all that surprising, in opposition to blood flow increases, was that blood flow actually decreased (by 6 percent) when stressful music was played for the test subjects.
What impressed the researchers the most about this study was the consistency each individual had to each of the different types of stimuli.
The physiological impact of this study, obviously, goes way beyond what can actually be measured in physical effects.
Dr. Michael Miller, M.D., the lead researcher in this study, says it best for most of us, “when we actively listen to our favorite music, it evokes such raw positive emotions in us most likely in part due the chemical endorphin release within the brain. It’s that part of the mind, body, spirit connection that we are all yearning to learn so much more about”.
I don’t know how you feel about music, but I can really get into listening to some zippy tunes that can, often, lift my mood.
I simply love all kinds of different types of music; and use roku secret codes to search my favorite lyrics.
The lyrics are not as important to me, most of the time, as the rhythm, tune, or sound of it. And on the other hand, you really can take yourself to a place of not feeling so great with music too.
You can use this sensitive medium to engage in feeling sad, lonely, or miserable to help back up your unhappy stories if that is how you want to feel.
The type of music you choose to listen to is a deciding factor in how you would like to feel. By purposely choosing and acclimating yourself to music that you like and makes you feel happy.
It is simply just another arrow in your quiver you can use as a weapon to help fight heart disease. There are, of course, several other lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and adequate sunshine exposure that would work nicely in conjunction with pleasant music to help keep every part of you physically and emotionally fit.
Conclusion About Pleasant Music
Your Turn
So,turn on your favorite Pleasant Music either on Roku, Youtube, Or on your Smart TV with the most convenient sources available, and start getting yourself in the groove of a better feeling state of mind.
