Smooth Operators May Enjoy Better Health
By Tom Herrin
Exercise and a good diet are normally the keys to improving health. This is an old standard that really hasn’t changed for years. Diet is an essential part of everyone’s health, and people making good choices is important. Exercise is critical for the heart and burning calories, among other things. There are, however, other options that can help to improve health without the classic grind that goes with either one of these. One of the simplest is listening to soft music. Among the kinds of soft music, jazz has a longstanding success rate. Most people recognize it for some good things but may have no real idea as to why.
It May Lessen Pain
Studies have shown that listening to music can have a real effect on pain in a positive way. It appears it can reduce the duration and intensity of headaches, including migraines. This can be great news for the many people who suffer from these chronic problems. In some studies, those who listened to music for an hour per day for one week experienced a 21 percent decrease in pain as compared to only 2 percent for those who did not listen. Music therapy has been successfully been used in hospitals for a variety of situations.
It May Reduce Blood Pressure
In studies, listening to music and laughter were shown to help the blood vessels expand up to 30 percent. This lowered the blood pressure. After three months of the study, participants had a significant reduction of blood pressure after listening to soft music, as well as laughter, when compared to a control group that had no change. The improvements were similar to the effects of reducing salt, losing weight, or taking blood pressure medication. For some, it may be a much less stressful way of reducing blood pressure.
It May Boost Immunity
Listening to jazz for 30 minutes has shown to increase levels of immunoglobulin A. This is found in the mucous linings of the body. It helps to fight viruses and bacteria. The effects seem to last for 30 minutes after the music stops. I enjoy listening to jazz and if it can really help like that, it is an easy thing to do to become a little healthier. I know it can help me sleep better, which is another thing that can improve health. If you are looking for something easy to try, it can’t get much easier than that.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Cedar Park, Tex.