Those Who Listen May Enjoy Better Health
By Tom Herrin
A lot of people have likely been told all of their lives to listen. It may be part of the general instruction manual for parents in raising kids. While that was mostly applied to general order at home or at school, it may still apply in several other instances. When it comes to simple ways to enjoy better health, listening to soft music has long been used as one of the best ways to have an impact without all of the really hard work and sacrifice. It can do so in many more ways than most people realize.
It May Help with Stroke Recovery
When people experience strokes, it is common for them to lose certain abilities. This is certainly dependent on the extent of the damage. Music has been used in therapy as part of a recovery plan. Listening to music has been known to help restore many functions in as few as three months. In one study, those who listened to music had a 60 percent improvement in verbal memory while those who did not listen had only a 29 percent improvement. Listeners had a 29 percent improvement in focused attention while those who did not listen had no improvement at all.
It May Reduce Pain
In another study, those who listened to music had less intense headaches, including migraines. In this case, listeners had a 21 percent decrease in pain while non-listeners had a 2 percent increase. This seems to be a pretty significant difference. Music therapy appears to be ongoing in many health facilities and is used almost anywhere that people potentially experience pain. It may be that the sky truly is the limit for such therapy.
It May Relieve Stress
The old standard is probably the fact that many people think about listening to music as a way to escape whatever is bothering them. In some sense, it probably is. It may help people to sleep better as well as have less depression. I enjoy listening to soft music, especially jazz, when I have had a busy day. I can attest to the fact that, for me, it really can help me to relax and it can also drown out many distractions. The beat seems to create an atmosphere that can make those daily stresses fade into the background.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Reno, Nev.