The startling effect of the habit of listening to music

If you like listening to music, you're lucky. Albert Einstein once stated "If not a physicist, I would have become a musician" . The legend of Jimi Hendrix calls his music "religion" .

Benefits of listening to music

In fact, reputable scientific studies have proven music can improve our mental health and physical well-being. If you study the piano or sing, the exercises can help increase IQ for the brain and even help our minds to be clear even when we get older. Do not believe it?

1. Music makes you happier

Studies show that when you hear the music you like, your brain releases dopamine, a substance that feels relieved, happy, and life-like. Valorie Salimpoor, a neurologist at McGill University, conducted an EEG scan of eight volunteers when they listened to music and found a large amount of dopamine released. So the next time you want to improve your mood , you just need to listen to your favorite stages within 15 minutes .

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2. Music makes you run faster and more durable

Researcher Marcelo Bigliassi and colleagues found that athletes running when listening to exciting / fast-paced music will complete the first 800 meters faster than those who listen to slow music or play without music. Therefore, if you want to practice better, listen to inspiring songs .

3. Reduce stress, strengthen health

Listening to music can help reduce the level of stress hormones called cortisol in the body. This is an important finding because stress is the cause of 60% of human diseases and illnesses. One study showed that if people engage in music activities actively like playing musical instruments or singing, their immune system is also significantly enhanced compared to when they only listen to music passively.

4. Sleep better

Over 30% of Americans have sleep disorders. A study revealed that students who listen to classical music relax 45 minutes before going to sleep will have a deeper and significantly better sleep than students who hear stories or hear nothing. Therefore, if you have trouble sleeping or losing sleep, try listening to Bach or Mozart music.

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5. Eat less

An unexpected finding by Georgia Tech University is that listening to music and keeping lights soft while eating will make volunteers consume less food and absorb less calories, even though they eat very well. So, if you want to lose weight, don't forget to turn off lights and listen to soft music during mealtime!

6. Improve your driving mood

A Dutch study found that listening to music can positively affect your mood while driving, thereby driving safer than when not listening to music. So, if you're frustrated by traffic jams, turn on your favorite tunes to relieve stress!

7. Enhance memory and learning ability

Researchers also recognize that music can help you learn and remember information better, but the results depend on how much you love music. Subjects were asked to memorize the characters of Japanese comics while listening to music. The results showed that those who listen to their favorite music will remember better than those who hear only neutral music.

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8. Relax for patients before / after surgery

Listening to relaxing music before surgery helps reduce stress, anxiety and is even more effective than sedative Midazolam, which doctors often give patients with pre-surgery, because Midazolam has side effects that cause coughing or vomiting. vomiting. Some other studies confirm that listening to soothing music when lying on the postoperative bed will help increase the level of relaxation and comfort for patients.

9. Pain relief

Music can not only heal mental pain, but it can literally relieve pain. Researchers at Drexel University in Philadelphia found that music therapy can help relieve pain more effectively than conventional treatments for cancer patients.

10. Help accelerate the recovery process in stroke patients

Researchers from the University of Helsinki (Finland) have shown that patients who suffer from stroke when listening to their favorite music for 2 hours / day will recover cognitive function significantly faster than those who can only listening to stories or not listening to music. Most songs have lyrics, suggesting that the combination of music and voice will enhance language memory for patients.

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11. Helps increase IQ and learn better

Young children who learn music from babies tend to have better IQ and learning results than normal children. In one study, a group of 6-year-olds who attended an organ or singing for 36 weeks completed fast standard tests and scored better than those who only studied drama or did not learn anything. In particular, the group of children learning to sing has the best results.

12. Helps your brain stay healthy when you get old

A study with older people found that those who played music / songs for more than 10 years would have higher cognitive scores than those who played music for 1-9 years. The group did not play any musical instrument with the lowest score.

Be aware that genius investor Warren Buffett maintains his sharp mind at age 84 by playing ukulele. Therefore, it is never too late for you to learn to play an instrument.