Brain Flossing - Healing Through Music

Introduction:

The love for music has been in existence for a long time. Archeologists discovered a flute that was carved from a vulture's wing bone in Southern Germany in 2009. This precious artifact is considered the oldest known musical instrument on earth, which points out the fact that humans have been rejoicing in music for over 40,000 years. Dopamine is a chemical present in the brain that enhances one's mood. A study by researchers in 2011 showed that listening to music elevates the amount of dopamine manufactured in the brain, making it a natural treatment for depression.

What Does Music Therapy Involve?

Music therapy encompasses the following:

• Singing along to the music.

• Listening to music.

• Meditating.

• Playing an instrument.

• Moving to the musical beats.

When flipping through history, it can be noticed that music has been a tool to enhance morale in military troops, keep off evil spirits by chanting, and enable individuals to work faster and more productively. Music has been found to be associated with numerous health benefits, like lowering stress levels, improving the health of premature babies, and boosting immune function.

What Are the Various Types of Music Therapy?

The following are the various types of music therapy:

• Guided Meditation: Guided meditation is a kind of healing using sound in which one meditates by listening to the voiced instruction which takes place in a class or session or through an app or video. Meditation includes repeating mantras or prayers or chanting. Meditation has numerous positive impacts on health:

1. Reducing stress.

2. Reducing pain.

3. Enhances memory power.

4. Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression.

5. Reduces blood pressure.

6. Lowers cholesterol.

7. Minimizes the risk of heart disease and stroke.

• Neurologic Music Therapy: Music therapy aids in reducing stress and is more efficacious than prescription drugs in lowering anxiety levels prior to surgery. Music therapy is rendered by a trained provider who evaluates the individual’s needs and plans the treatment accordingly. Treatment includes creating, singing, listening, or moving to the beats of music. Music therapy is beneficial in pain management, brain injuries, and physical rehabilitation.

• Nordoff-Robbins Approach: This is a sound healing method provided by skilled musicians who have completed the Nordoff-Robbins two-year master's program. They create new music, use music known to those being treated, or work toward a performance. This technique is used to treat children dealing with mental health issues, dementia (a group of social and thinking symptoms that affects the daily functioning of the individual), autism spectrum disorder (a developmental and neurological disorder that influences one’s interaction with others), learning difficulties, developmental delays, and so on.

• Bonny Method: This method was named after Helen L. Bonny, and it involves the use of imagery and classical music to explore transformation, consciousness, and personal growth. It has been found that a series of these sessions could have a positive impact on the physiological and psychological health of those with mental and medical health needs.

• Brainwave Entrainment: Brainwave entrainment is also known as binaural beats. In this method, pulsing sound is used to stimulate the brain into a particular state which enables the brain to align to the frequency of the beat.

This enhances sleep and relaxation, creates an entranced state, and increases focus. There are a few pieces of evidence that state that brainwave entrainment reduces the symptoms of pain, anxiety, and also symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (a group of symptoms that manifest between ovulation and the onset of the period in a woman). It is also known to improve behavioral problems in children, but all these require further research.

• Tuning Fork Therapy: In tuning fork therapy, calibrated metal tuning forks are used to apply specific vibrations to different body parts. This creates an emotional balance by releasing tension and energy. The mechanism of this therapy mimics that of acupuncture, except that in this method, sound frequencies are incorporated in stimulating certain points, unlike the use of needles in acupuncture. Few research also suggests that tuning fork therapy can be beneficial in relieving bone and muscle pain.

How Does Music Therapy Work?

Different aspects of music are used to enhance the physical and emotional well-being of an individual. The efficacy of the therapy depends on the method being implemented. Music therapy sessions take place with a specialty-trained practitioner, usually in a one-on-one session.

In a music therapy session, one may be asked to lie down and listen to sounds or music from an instrument or a speaker. Even vibrations may be used with the help of a special tool like a tuning fork. Based on the method employed, one may be asked to indulge in the therapy by moving, singing, or maybe asked to use a musical instrument. At times, the individual may be asked to lie quietly and still and allow the sounds to create an effect on them.

What Is the Effect of Music Therapy on the Brain?

The pitch, melody, and tempo of the music are processed by various areas of the brain. For example, the frontal lobes decipher the emotional signals created by the music, the cerebellum processes rhythm, and a small region of the right temporal lobe aids in understanding the pitch of the music. The nucleus accumbens is called the reward center of the brain, and it is involved in triggering physical signs of pleasure, like creating goosebumps when one listens to powerful music. Music therapy focuses on these deep physical responses of the body to music which can be helpful in treating various mental health conditions.

For What Conditions Is Music Therapy Beneficial, and What Instruments Are Used in Music Therapy?

Music therapy is beneficial for the following conditions:

• Depression.

• Anxiety disorders.

• Dementia.

• Behavioral and psychiatric disorders.

• Cancer.

• Autism spectrum disorder and other learning difficulties.

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (a disorder in which an individual fails to recover after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event).

Besides using voice, the following instruments are used in music therapy:

• Tuning forks.

• Pan flute.

• Singing bowls.

• Harp.

• Drums.

A variety of instruments can be used in a single session, including the use of piano, guitar, and other instruments.

What Are the Other Benefits of Music Therapy?

The other benefits of music therapy are as follows:

• Learning and practicing music can enhance memory skills, reading, coordination, comprehension, and math skills.

• Creating a piece of music can instill a great sense of achievement in the individual, which can boost their mood and self-esteem.

• Various cultures and genres can be explored. Gaining knowledge about the history behind a particular music can enable the individual to connect with the music they are playing or hearing.

• Music therapy facilitates the individual to express themselves in a creative way, which can aid one in exploring difficult emotions in an enjoyable way.

• Lyric analysis can help an individual to explore and process difficult experiences, memories, or emotions through music.

• All these can provide the benefits of having increased motivation, decreased stress, increased self-esteem, increased verbalization, safe and successful emotional vent out, and helping establish strong connections with other people.

Conclusion:

Music is the most powerful tool which has the ability to unite a large number of people. Listening to calm, soothing music evokes a sense of peace and tranquility. Music therapy triggers the release of various neurochemicals in the brain that are responsible for maintaining good mental health, like dopamine, cortisol (stress hormone), oxytocin (a chemical that establishes the ability to connect with others), serotonin (happy hormone), and other hormones related to immunity. Also, music therapy enhances mood, improves memory, helps deal with fatigue, minimizes anxiety and depression, and enables one to work effectively and productively. One can enjoy the advantages of music therapy by taking assistance from a certified music therapist.