I LISTEN TO MUSIC AS I WORK OUT. And when I write. I listen in my office in between meeting patients. Exercising without music is almost unimaginable. Did you know our hearts respond when we listen to our favorite pieces? Today, I want to explore music & your heart.
This essay will explore the fascinating connection between music and the heart, shedding light on how music may affect our cardiovascular health.
Did you know that by 40,000 years ago, humans were making musical instruments and two- and three-dimensional images of the world around them?
Rhythm and Heartbeat Synchronization
Music evokes strong emotions, transports me to different times and places, and sometimes brings me closer to others.
My wife and I initially bonded (in Manhattan) over a shared passion for music.
But beyond its emotional influence, music can also physically affect our bodies, including our hearts.
One of the ways music affects the heart is through its rhythmic properties. Our hearts have a natural rhythm known as the heartbeat, controlled by electrical impulses.
Research suggests that when we listen to music with a steady beat, our heart rate and blood pressure may synchronize with the rhythm of the music. This phenomenon is known as entrainment.
Entrainment is believed to occur due to the brain’s response to auditory stimuli.
When we hear music, our brains process the rhythmic patterns and send signals to the rest of our body, including the heart, to adjust its activity accordingly.
This synchronization of the heart with the music’s beat can have a calming effect, reducing stress and promoting relaxation.
Mood Enhancement and Stress Reduction
We all have experienced how music can affect our mood. Music can change our feelings, whether uplifting melody or a soothing tune.
Studies have shown that listening to music we enjoy can release endorphins, the brain’s “feel-good” chemicals.
This release of endorphins can positively impact our overall well-being and may indirectly influence our heart health.
A 2011 study in Nature Neuroscience found that our brain releases the mood-enhancing chemical dopamine at moments of peak enjoyment.
Researchers from McGill University (Montreal, Canada) noted that the research represented the first time scientists tested dopamine response to music.
In the Canadian study, researchers discovered dopamine levels were up to nine percent higher when volunteers listened to music they enjoyed.
Dopamine also increases in response to other stimuli, such as food and money. When I ate that dark chocolate (a lovely gift from Vienna) minutes ago, my brain rewarded me with a dopamine surge.
Music and Chronic Stress
Furthermore, stress is a risk factor for heart disease. Chronic stress can lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate, as well as the release of stress hormones like cortisol.
Listening to music has been shown to reduce stress levels by activating the body’s relaxation response. Music may help protect our hearts from the harmful effects of chronic stress by promoting relaxation and reducing stress.
Music Therapy
The effects of music on the heart have not gone unnoticed by healthcare professionals.
Music therapy, a field that utilizes music as a therapeutic tool by licensed professionals, has gained recognition as an effective approach for various health conditions, including cardiovascular diseases.
If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die. That strain again! it had a dying fall: O! it came o’er my ear like the sweet sound That breathes upon a bank of violets, Stealing and giving odour. — Shakespeare, Twelth Night
Music and Heart Health
Research has shown that music therapy can improve heart health by reducing anxiety, lowering blood pressure, and improving heart rate variability. Did you know that this approach works for dogs, too?
Heart rate variability is the variation in time intervals between successive heartbeats and is considered a marker of cardiac health.
Music therapy may improve the heart’s ability to adapt to different situations and stressors by enhancing heart rate variability.
Here’s Harvard Health’s take:
According to several research investigations, music can also change your brain chemistry, and these alterations may produce cardiovascular benefits. For instance, music may do the following:
- Enable individuals to exercise longer during cardiac stress testing done on a stationary bicycle or treadmill
- Improve blood vessel function (by relaxing arteries)
- Help blood pressure and heart rate levels return to baseline more quickly after physical exertion.
- Ease anxiety in heart attack survivors.
- Help patients recovering from heart surgery experience less pain and anxiety (and possibly enable better sleep).
I will go one step further: You will only briefly get me on a treadmill with some distraction! The music fits the bill.
Music and Reduced Pain and Anxiety
Music therapy also benefits patients recovering from heart surgery or heart attacks.
Studies have demonstrated that listening to music during recovery can reduce pain, anxiety, and the need for pain medication.
I often wonder why more healthcare facilities don’t have music therapy. My music therapist wife taught me much about its benefits.
These positive effects may contribute to a faster recovery and improved overall well-being.
Music Types
It’s important to note that the impact of music on the heart can vary from person to person.
Personal preferences for specific genres, rhythms, and melodies can influence how music affects our hearts.
For example, upbeat and energetic music may have a different effect than slow and calming tunes.
Therefore, choosing music that resonates with your preferences and emotions is essential to maximize the potential benefits.
In the artery relaxation study, which tested rock and classical music, improvements appeared greater when classical aficionados heard classical music than when they listened to rock, and vice versa. You might find a soaring opera aria stressful, while others might find it calming.
“If you want to know the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” — Nikola Tesla.
There’s no downside to using music to relax or invigorate your exercise if you keep the decibel levels safe. Hmm. Should I consider my heart health as a reason to splurge on a new sound system?
My Preferences
When writing, I prefer listening to music without words. I am listening to Andras Schiff playing Bach’s Preludes and Fugues. Listen to NPR’s Fred Child describe the extraordinarily gifted pianist:
Schiff has such an intimate relationship with these works. Hearing him play them is like getting an inside view of a wondrously successful lifelong marriage. While there is no gratuitous sentiment, he imbues every gesture with loving tenderness. He plays with both delicacy and directness.
Andras Schiff’s ‘Well-Tempered’ Guide To Bach
The pianist has such an intimate relationship with the Well-Tempered Clavier, hearing him play its kaleidoscopic…www.npr.org
According to the American Music Therapy Association, music “provokes responses due to the familiarity, predictability, and feelings of security associated with it.”
What is your go-to music? Does it vary by your activity type?
8 Tips to Incorporate Music Into Your Life
Chopra.com offers eight strategies for getting more music into our daily lives.
1. Music in the Morning
What is your get-up-and-go piece? You may like some jazz with your morning cup of tea. Consider putting on some music as you choose the day’s clothing.
2. Make a Playlist
There are plenty of music apps out there. Many allow you to access millions of hours of music for free or cheaply. Make a playlist, perhaps with a theme (for example, songs from local artists).
3. Put on Music and Dance
Just do it.
4. Go to a Show
See your favorite artist live. Feed off the crowd’s energy.
5. Learn an Instrument
Did you dread piano practice growing up? Engaging in a new hobby can be exhilarating. I resumed piano lessons after the age of 50.
6. Chant
There is a long history of music and mantras as a path to spiritual connection. Repeating positive words can alter your brain’s pathways and calm the nervous system.
7. Write Down Your Favorite Song Lyrics
Do you have a song stuck in your head? Maybe that earworm is there for a reason! Let the lyrics inspire you as they run through your head. Try writing down the words to your favorite songs and see if there is some significance to what is going on in your life.
8. Write a Song
Challenge yourself to create some lyrics (start with rhyming!). Enjoy! Perhaps your song will be the next big hit or brighten someone’s day.
Whether playing an upbeat tune as you prepare breakfast, putting on some mellow music before bedtime, or finally signing up for those guitar lessons, allow more music into your life. You may discover your new favorite artist or start your day with a positive outlook. Happy music-making!
Conclusions: Music & Your Heart
Music is a powerful tool that can touch our hearts in more ways than one.
Beyond its emotional influence, music may profoundly impact our heart health.
By synchronizing our heartbeats, reducing stress, and enhancing mood, music can contribute to overall cardiovascular well-being.
Furthermore, music therapy has emerged as a valuable approach for promoting heart health and aiding recovery for individuals with heart conditions.
So, the next time you find yourself tapping your foot to the beat or getting lost in a favorite song, remember that you’re not only enjoying the music but potentially benefiting your heart.
Brain Correlates of Music-Evoked Emotions – Nature Reviews Neuroscience
www.nature.com
The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog.
Thank you for reading “Music & Your Heart.”
